My Mermaid
by TamashaToko
Summary: AU Things turn for the worse when Kagome is captured and turned into a mermaid and the only one who can save her is the arrogant bussiness man Sesshoumaru. SessKag
1. A Tail Fin and a Tank

Chapter 1

A Tail Fin and a Tank

"This is going to be exactly what you need Kagome," Sango Unikji kept trying to tell her friend who looked down right miserable.

"This cruise could last for seven hundred years rather than seven days and it'll still wouldn't be what I need Sango," responded the young raven haired teen named Kagome Higurashi, who threw her suitcase on her temporary bed.

"I have been on cruises like this a billion times," Sango continued as she put her stuff upon the bed that was on the other side of their hotel-like room, "and trust me I always come back feeling like a different person afterwards."

"Thanks for arranging this Sango," Kagome sighed as she laid down, "but I don't think things are going to be that easy. I just can't forget about him."

Kagome was of course talking about her ex-boyfriend Kouga. He was the best boyfriend any teenage girl could ever dream of. Kouga was their school's star football player, basketball player, and track runner. Also luckily being her boyfriend ever since freshman year, though things had unfortunately fallen apart after their graduation. During Kouga's graduation party he announced to his family and friends that before he went on to attend college, he would marry her. Kagome was thrilled, but then Kouga's father shot all of their plans down. They were told that not only were they not allowed to marry, but also they wouldn't be allowed to see each other anymore. For Kouga was in an escapable arranged marriage with a woman named Ayame. She was scheduled to be brought over in the country later this year.

"Hasn't Kouga tried talking to his father?" Sango asked hopefully as she stood next to her friend's bed.

Kagome just nodded her head, "It's too late for anyone to change their minds. In exchange for Kouga marrying Ayame, his family received a lot of money. The money has already been spent on their home and the rest of that stuff that only the wealthiest people could afford. Kouga wanted to run away with me, but if he leaves his family behind he leaves his future behind as well. He has been working too hard to let that slip away from him."

"Well that settles it," Sango announced, as she grabbed Kagome's arm, "like you just said there is nothing that can be done about it, so lets just go and have fun. Maybe you will even meet a hott guy aboard the ship."

"Maybe your right," Kagome finally sighed in defeat as she stood up and prepared to set off to the ship's deck.

* * *

"What a great turn out today," the ship's captain told himself as he positioned the wheel on auto and sat down at a table with one of his shipmates.

"I don't see how Naraku," the female cruise coordinator pointed out, "hasn't anybody dared to start any rumors yet?"

"Tell me how that is possible Kagura," Naraku asked her to do as he opened up a nearby folder, "I just don't just allow anyone onto this ship. If I did we would have lawyers calling my phone every minute of the day. I only make room for customers who seem to have no one waiting for them back home."

"Are you sure you did it right this time?" Kagura questioned as she looked at the folders' contents. "Usually we take aboard the elderly and a few business men. Yet, today we seem to have a lot of young ones on board."

"I decided to expand my research past old widowed ladies and men who are too preoccupied with work to care about family," he said as he flipped through the folder. "the elderly always die too easily on me before I get anywhere with them, and all the others have heart problems due to stress."

"Just be careful. For some reason I don't trust your judgment when it came to choosing your customers."

"Like I said Kagura don't worry about it. The young man who seems to want to flirt with all the women has just recently lost his father, leaving him with nobody."

"He will probably be the first male to survive one of your experiments."

"I plan to use him for my shark genetics, which no female has survived either, but I plan to change that. Aboard we also have a girl named Sango. Her father and brother died two years prior and her mother died while giving birth to her brother. She has been living on her own since she is no longer a minor. The stories behind the rest of our passengers aren't much different. The rest of them can just be used for my gill experiments and maybe my fish and crab projects."

"I've seen that Sango girl arrive with another though, Naraku. I overheard her companion talking about being a seventeen year old. Does she have a family?"

"Kagome Higurashi? Yes, she does have a very loving family. Although due to boyfriend troubles, she has come here to forget all of her worries. I bet if she were to disappear her family would just suspect that she ran away because of her problems."

"That is still too risky Naraku. If just one of her family members gets too curious as to why she disappeared during this cruise, then your little experiments along with your wealth goes down the drain."

"I am willing to take that risk Kagura," Naraku told her as he got up and wandered to the window that allowed him to see the dock. He could see very clearly the girl they were discussing about, who was being dragged around by Sango. "Kagome Higurashi is the loveliest woman I have ever had on board this ship next to her predecessor."

"Predecessor? Hmm…The last woman that you claimed to be the loveliest woman was Kikyo Yamada. There is no way you are planning to open up that experiment again. You could just use the girl on your shark genetics like the rest of them."

"The genetics I work with are unworthy of her. I think she would be much more useful as a mermaid then an average fish which would probably die within a few days."

"If you say so, but if I recall correctly the very first time you experimented with this project, it didn't work out very well."

"Mermaids are sensitive Kagura. This time my precious little project will be locked up away from everyone else's eyes. She will be mine and mine alone." As Naraku said this, an evil and possessive gleam appeared upon his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Naraku." Kagura bowed her head.

"Good. Now Kagura, go make sure that our guests are comfortable. After all, it's the least we can give them, since it will be their last trip they'll ever make."

* * *

"Isn't this great Kagome?" Sango asked as the two of them laid down to tan on the dock's lawn chairs

"I guess," Kagome sighed as she lain there in a blue bikini and sunglasses.

"Come on Higurashi," Sango scowled at her friend, "we _are_ on a nice cruise ship, we _are_ here during the best weather we have had all summer, and there _are_ some hot guys here. I don't see how you can still be upset." Sango emphasized.

"You're right, but I can't help it Sango," Kagome replied staring into the sun. " I mean…After four years of giving all your love and affection to someone, it is sort of hard not to be upset after he is forced to break off all ties with you."

"Well then think about this trip as a dream. We paid too much money for this cruise to let our problems get to us. We should just enjoy ourselves and worry about our mishaps once school starts up."

"Fine I will enjoy myself then. I have never heard of the S.S. Miasma though."

"That's because it's an exclusive and private cruise liner that only allows certain passengers. If we weren't accepted, we would have just been referred to another ship."

"That's kind of strange."

"Tell me about it. I bet we weren't even close to being the wealthiest on the list, so I don't know why they would ever pick us. I mean…The ship is kind of weird itself as well. It doesn't even have life-boats so you better pray we don't sink."

"Sango please don't say stuff like that," Kagome snapped, "you know how much I can get freaked out by the idea of that happening."

"That's why it's so funny."

"Oh dear Sango, must you be so cruel to Kagome?" came a familiar voice.

The two looked up and saw Miroku Kazanna, one of their high school friends. Kagome removed her sunglasses and greeted him. Sango just blushed and covered her almost naked body with a beach towel. Miroku looked at her with a confused look.

"Sango you look much prettier without the towel," Miroku then told her.

"Do you think you're funny by looking at me like that while I am only wearing my swim suit?" Sango demanded to know rudely before smacking him hard against the face.

"I can't help it," he responded by rubbing the red mark on his cheek, "it's a man's nature."

"More like a pervert's nature," Sango sneered.

Kagome just giggled as the two continued their fight. Sango was definitely right; they paid way too much money for this trip to just let it go to waste because of her and Kouga's current misfortune. Kagome's attitude was probably making her friend's vacation miserable as well. She decided from now on to just enjoy the cruise. After all, she was on an expensive ship in the middle of the ocean away from everybody else except her best friends. Nothing could go wrong.

* * *

They were all going to die. That was what Kagome predicted would happen when she was awoken in the middle of the night by the sharp sound of breaking glass followed by a few screams. The ground was also shaking as though the ship crashed into something. The shake forced Kagome to tumble from her bed to the ground.

"Kagome are you alright?" Sango's worried voice was heard, even though the darkness allowed her not to be seen.

"I think so," Kagome answered timidly, "Sango what is going on?"

"I don't know," Sango whispered as her figure was seen heading towards the light switch, "the lights are not working."

"Just great," Kagome started to cry as though she was about to go into hysterics, "the lights are out and it sounds like we crashed while on a ship that doesn't have lifeboats!"

"Calm down," Sango kept trying to reassure the teenager who only got more stressed out and scared as the sound of an opening door was heard.

The next thing that was heard was the sound of Sango screaming bloody murder. Kagome just cried harder as she desperately tried to look around for her friend. She didn't have time because she then felt someone's strong arms grab her and drag her out of the room.

* * *

He closed his suitcase with nothing but annoyed look on his face, which was unusual seeing as how his face generally wore nothing but an emotionless and indifferent look. Sesshoumaru brushed his long sliver hair out of his golden eyes before picking up his luggage. It was going to be a long week.

"What is your problem now son?" his father InuTashio asked as he came through his son's bedroom door.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the man who was just a fatter version of himself, "You told me that if I decided to become you apprentice and take this job there would be more challenging tasks for me to execute. How can I, Sesshoumaru accomplish this crucial work, if you send me to some kind of island to deal with an ordeal for a week that would merely last a day?"

"If you wish to deal with it in a day, then deal with it in a day," InuTashio replied surprised that his son was actually argumentative for once, "just think as the other six days as a vacation."

"I don't have time for a vacation father," the son sneered as he passed his old man with an air of arrogance and his suitcase swinging along his side in his hand.

"Of course you do," Inutashio bellowed blocking Sesshoumaru's path. "Last time you used only one of your vacation days which was three years ago! Then you turned around to make that up with overtime!"

"Father incase you haven't noticed our companies stock, sales, and foreign interest are all declining. I believe it's because I haven't worked hard enough. I will probably have to work even harder considering the money we are about to waste after Naraku has had his way with us."

"Naraku seems to know what he is doing. Right now, you are going to see how his new project is going."

"As though anyone could produce a way to make humans breathe underwater."

"I have been analyzing his research and data and I think he is actually on to something, however he needs money. Once we give it to him to finish the project, he will succeed and we will get millions back in return."

"I didn't even know Naraku was out of jail. I thought using humans as experiments usually got you a bigger sentence then a few months."

"He never went. His lawyers proved that there is no evidence of him using humans and I believe them. Naraku is a well trusted man."

"In spite of everything, why do I have to deal with such feeble things? Make your wife go. She seems to do a good job when it comes to traveling and supervising projects."

InuTashio shook his head while looking at the floor, "Sesshoumaru you know where that island is and why she must not go there. I don't think her heart could take it."

Sesshoumaru merely nodded. He knew why he would be the only one visiting Naraku's island. The last one of their family members to ever go there was his young half brother and the son of his father's late wife. His name was InuYasha and he never returned from that island. The search party went on for a year, before the family finally called it to an end and assumed Inuyasha to be dead."

"Fine I will go and see what Naraku has planned for us," Sesshoumaru finally said not showing defeat as he stalked out to the front of his family's mansion and awaited his transport to the airport.

* * *

_Whoever she was, she had short raven hair and appeared to be sleeping in nothing more then a blue bikini. The girl must have been drugged since the room the teenager was residing in was full of ear piercing screams, and yet she did not stir awake. The bed was being wheeled by some kind of doctor who stopped suddenly long enough to examine a fish tank, which seemed to be out of place in the dingy and dirty room. Quickly the doctor removed a few fish from the tank and then laid them by the girl._

_There was something wrong with those fish. Their color was pale and they didn't even bother to flop around once removed from the water, gasping for air. It was as though they were so sick that they were nearly half dead. The creatures didn't even widen their eyes as their scales were punctured with a syringe._

_Along with the blood sucked out of the fish's bodies, a few other chemicals were collected as well and also absorbed with needles. Once everything that was needed had been prepared, the doctor tightened leather straps around the girl's wrist. It was obvious to see why, once all the chemicals had been shot into veins her she seemed to undergo a type of seizure and a fit of painful screams was followed, all that while still being in a deep sleep._

Sesshoumaru then awoke from his dream to find out that he drifted off while on his private airplane towards Naraku's island. His dull gold eyes traveled to his open laptop that showed charts and figures. Maybe he had been working too hard lately. His dreams were beginning to get more and more eccentric.

* * *

A warm blanket was the first thing Kagome thought about when her mind finally awoke. Wherever she was she felt completely warm and relaxed. Warm enough that falling back asleep would not be difficult to accomplish at all.

"_But where am I?"_

Kagome finally opened her eyes just to stare at her surroundings in disbelief.

"_Am I dead?"_

This had to be some kind of trick her mind was playing on her, for she was underwater surrounded by both coral reefs and fish. When Kagome's mouth opened to gasp her taste buds were greeted with a blast of salt water. On the other hand, there was something different about the taste which she usually found to be bitter and disgusting. It had the same scent and essence as saltwater, but yet it had a sweet taste to it, kind of like sugar.

_"I have to be dead; if I wasn't…Then my lungs would be burning for air right now, wouldn't they?"_

Nothing seemed wrong with her lungs though. It was as though the water was her source of air, similar to if she were a fish or some kind of water animal. She had to be dead.

Kagome moved her legs so she could swim forward. Something felt strange. Her legs felt slick and stiff, but they carried her a lot faster when it came to swimming. She looked down to see what the problem was.

Right away her eyes widened in horror_, "M-My legs, where are they?"_

This had to be a nightmare or she really was dead. Where her two legs use to be there was now a long, scaly, and greenish tail fin. She explored the rest of her body. The only thing she was wearing was the same gaudy bikini top she wore earlier. Everything else that wasn't her lower body seemed to be the same.

The scaly teenager then chose to use her new tail to swim up so she could get out of this place. That was before her head collided painfully with what looked like glass. Swiftly she swam down and then forward just to hit some more glass. Was she in a glass tank?

She eventually peered beyond the glass and seen a dark hallway. Standing in the hallway was a man with long black hair and unusual red eyes. Where was she and who was he?

"Do you like your new home Kagome?" she was able to hear the man ask.

Kagome opened her mouth. She was ready to let out a frenzy of questions and a few choice words, but nothing came out of her mouth. Just bubbles.

"Do I have to put you back in the lab?" the man questioned as he tapped on the glass, "your telepathic abilities don't seem to be working."

"_Telepathic?" _she thought inwardly to herself.

"There we go," the unidentified man's voice rang out, "I guess I can't hear you while your mind's filled with so much uncertainty. I will fix that for you. My name is Naraku Senaka."

Once again her mind filled with questions but it appeared to be as though he could only understand one thought at a time, _"Why do I have a tail?"_

"I guess that question would be your priority," noted the man known as Naraku, "but the answer should have been obvious. You have been turned into a mermaid. I am a marine biologist who experiments in a few genetic fields. Just awhile ago, I even created a way for humans to breath under water. That is why you're not dead yet."

Kagome still didn't believe a word of this, "Th-this isn't real! It's just a dream!"

"This is very real I am afraid," Naraku continued, "You should be honored that I have chosen you to be my mermaid, so just stay in your tank and look calm and peaceful."

Kagome moved her head to shoot him a deadly death glare, but then Naraku made eye contact with her. There was something she didn't like about his scarlet eyes. Whatever it was, it caused her to hide behind a huge coral rock before she could continue the conversation.

"This is great," he chuckled, "you are like a real mermaid. Your brand new instincts tell you to hide when there is a visitor. Mermaids are supposed to be over sensitive. The mermaid I had before you actually died because too many people looked at her at the same time. You will be different though. You will only be for my eyes and my eyes only."

Her mind wanted to quickly tell him off for this. So she was just supposed to be his fish for him to gawk at? Hopefully, this was all just one huge bad dream. With any luck, soon she would wake up in the room she was sharing with Sango, but if this wasn't a dream… Then what happened to all the others?

"_Where is Sango and Miroku?"_ her mind chose to ask this time.

"They are probably in the lab somewhere, but I am unaware of whether they are both still of the living or not."

"_What did you do to them?"_

"Hmm…What did I do with them again?" Naraku pondered over this for awhile. "Oh yes! That's right, I turned them into sharks. I thought their youth would give them the dexterity to survive the transformation, but I could be wrong."

Kagome's fervent thoughts then prevented any more words from getting out. Naraku just wore a smug look as he walked briskly towards the wall across the hallway. He was looking at some small white device that was nailed onto the wall. Whatever it was, it was probably working since a little red light was blinking until he flipped the switch and turned it off.

"This is what allowed me to hear your frivolous thoughts," Naraku started, "now that I turned it off, I can no longer hear you. Your purpose isn't to talk anyways. You are to just swim in your tank and look serene whenever I come to see you. From now on, you are nothing more then a mere decoration just like all the other fish."

Kagome quickly swam forward and started to use her fists to bang on the glass. Although, once she found out none of her thoughts were coming through. She realized in defeat that this plan wasn't working either. Pounding on the glass seemed to hurt her more than it did to seem to help. Her hand started to throb with pain after striking the glass. While Naraku was standing back watching in amusement and laughed darkly at her.

"The front and top of your tank is made out of a very unique type of glass that won't allow you to break through it so easily," Naraku alerted her, "so you better get use to living in there because you're never leaving it. All you will have for the rest of your life is me, the tropical fish in the tank on your left, and the dolphins that are to your right. I'm afraid I have to leave you now my dear, I have to attend to a very important conference."

He turned around and slowly walked away, fading from her sight. Kagome found herself floating down. She laid in a pile of gravel and pebbles while her mind reflected on the past events that had just occurred. She had lost her friends, her way of life, and any hope of escaping within one day. In the end however, all she had gained was a tail fin and a stupid tank.

(End of Chapter 1)

AN: Well another great chapter from yours truly…yep the wonderful Tamasha Toko who has brought you Shadow Filled Hearts and Baby Blues, but this time…she is not alone. This time I have the wonderful Corlee1289 beta reading and editing to make sure this is the best sess/kag fanfic ever…and if anyone has a problem with that you will be beat up by both me and Corlee…and Corlee is Canadian meaning your in danger being beat with a hockey stick or maple syrup.


	2. A Tank and a Visitor

Chapter 2

A Tank and a Visitor

"I see this place hasn't changed," Sesshoumaru was stating more to himself as he was lead by Naraku's house keeper known as Kanna into the main living room, "it still looks like a giant fish tank."

What came out of Sesshoumaru's mouth was indeed true. On every wall in Naraku's mansion, there seemed to be a built in fish tank. He distinctly remembered there being ones filled with piranhas in the closets, however mostly the ones out in plain sight held rare exotic fish that were pleasant for the eye to look at. Naraku seemed to always be obsessed with fish ever since he came upon marine biology and genetics.

"Lord Senaka will see to you in a few minutes," was all Kanna said as she wandered off.

Sesshoumaru took a seat on one of the many expensive leather chairs that were within the vicinity. His eyes couldn't help but look into the many aquariums that surrounded the room. The one that caught his attention the most was the cylinder tank residing next to the big screen plasma TV. The object that held his attention appeared to be the largest object in the room. While all the other tanks held the many uncommon and striking fishes this one held Orca whales. Sesshoumaru was already quite aware about how these creatures got air. The whole top of the mansion was nothing but a huge cluster of pools that were connected to these tanks allowing the sea creatures that needed oxygen to swim up and receive the air they needed.

"I see you are quite taken to my whales," Naraku's voice finally made Sesshoumaru's thoughts go back to the task at hand, "I find them soothing for when I come to rest here."

"I see them as a waste of money," Sesshoumaru mentioned indifferently as he stood up and glared into Naraku's scarlet eyes, "if you see one fish you have seen them all."

"Whales aren't fish," Naraku replied angrily as he walked up to the topic of their discussion, "and I don't like to call any of my creatures 'fish' for labeling them under one word rids them of their invidaulism."

"Fine then I shall call them animals," the young business man told the client, "and animals don't have feelings so they would not care if you labeled them. Now back to the matter at hand, how is your project coming along?"

"There is slight problem."

"A problem that you require for my father's money to bail you out of? If you weren't always investing in these creatures then you could afford to deal with the problem on your own."

"It's the test subjects that I am having trouble with. How am I supposed to prove that I can make humans breath under water if I can't test it on humans?"

"That has never stopped you in the past. Usually you will just experiment with a human and then write into your logs that you were using a monkey."

"I have been using monkeys Sesshoumaru. As though I would defy the scientific standards and test on a human."

"That's not what the court thought during your trial."

"That's where you're wrong. If that were what that court believed then I would be behind bars rather then continuing my studies and research. Now on with our conversation, monkeys aren't cutting it anymore because I need a certain equation to get it to work on humans and I can't figure out that equation without a human, now can I?"

"That's a problem I cannot help you with. I am just here to see if this will work, give you the money, and then leave, although it seems you won't be able to complete it."

"It will be finished and you will see for yourself. I believe your father has requested you to stay here for a week. I will have something for you by then."

"I was planning to depart earlier."

"Consider this as a vacation. Just like when you were a child and your father brought you along to look at my creatures while he and me attended to work."

"Back then I was easily entertained. Now I wish to just get business done and return home."

"I have always imagined you would grow up to be like your mother. All work and no play. No matter, you are to stay here for a week and I promise to show you a sample of the project by the time you take leave. Kanna shall show you to the room you will be staying in."

Kanna then appeared at Naraku's side, but from where Sesshoumaru was unaware. He didn't have time to think about his client's housemaid at the moment though. He was more concerned with his family's money at this point. He assumed this project would be done upon his visit meaning he could quickly leave, but now he would be stuck here waiting for a result that could cause him to take a gamble with a huge amount of money.

"Why did you contact my father if you weren't done with the project?" Sesshoumaru demanded to know.

Naraku was thinking about how to answer that. The project had really been done for a long time, but there was a problem. He could care less about that gill solution getting out to the world, he just needed money, but in order to get the money he needed to show that it worked and to show that it worked he couldn't use a human or he would get in trouble once again.

"I will have the preparations done as soon as possible," was all Naraku answered with as he turned his back on the visitor, "Do make yourself at home. You already are familiar with your surroundings I do believe."

"I guess I do," the visitor replied, "sharks are in the living room, turtles can be found loose in the kitchen, and dolphins are in the basement."

Normally Naraku would have just ignored Sesshoumaru's disrespectable comments, but this time he shot a deadly glare, "I want you to stay away from the basement."

Sesshoumaru was surprised by the look Naraku gave off, "oh really? There has never been a restriction on the basement before."

"Well the lab is located next to the basement and when I run out of room in the lab I move things into the nearest room."

"I see. Good thing I have no wish to look at your animals anyways," was the last thing Sesshoumaru told Naraku before following Kanna to the guest rooms.

Naraku watched as the son of InuTashio disappeared into the hallway, "just an animal? Someone who is as arrogant as him doesn't deserve to be anywhere nearby my mermaid."

* * *

Kagome floated in her new home taking in and studying her surroundings. At least this aquarium was as big as her old bedroom back home. Back home with her family whom she would never be able to see again.

"_Mother, Father, Kouga,"_ Kagome chanted to herself, _"I need you three more then ever right now."_

Her eyes traveled to the glass walls that contained her, when she heard the clicking sounds of dolphins. Kagome flicked her tail fin a few times and glided over to the area where her aquarium and the dolphin tank were separated from each other. The sound of the sea creatures talking to each other was the only sound that kept her company.

"_Must be fun,"_ she said_, "you guys just float and swim in a tank all day. You have never really known any better meaning, you can care less that you are trapped here."_

"_You would be surprised,"_ a childish voice answered back.

If Kagome had legs and she wasn't in a giant fish bowl she would have jumped backwards upon hearing the voice. Was she going nuts or was one of the dolphins talking to her? She studied her neighboring tanks a little more and discovered a baby dolphin looking at her.

"_What's wrong with you?"_ the voice asked, _"haven't you ever heard a talking dolphin before?"_

Kagome just shook her head as she was trying to process everything that was going on in her mind.

"_I see,"_ the baby dolphin continued_, "I thought you were a real mermaid just like the ones my mom use to tell me about. I heard mermaids were able to talk to sea creatures by using brain waves, but you're not use to it. So I take it you were once human."_

"_Yes I was,"_ Kagome's mind answered trying to go along with this. 

"_Me too,"_ the dolphin chirped_, "until that Naraku guy stole me and my mother off the street and turned me into a dolphin. My name is Shippou, what's yours?"_

"_Kagome,"_ the mermaid answered in return_, "so how long have you been here and where is your mother?"_

"_Naraku captured me three years ago,"_ Shippou replied_, "he turned me into a dolphin while he tried turning my mom into a shark, but she died…"_

Things just kept getting weirder and weirder making Kagome still believe this was nothing more then a dream. There was no way a human boy could all of a sudden be turned into a living and breathing dolphin. She still couldn't even believe that she was a mermaid. If this were real though, Kagome would have to be strong for her friends. Before he left, Naraku informed her that both Miroku and Sango would be altered into sharks, which was a project that Shippou informed could kill humans.

"_I'm sorry for your loss Shippou,"_ Kagome told the young dolphin mournfully_, "how old are you?"_

"_Eight. Naraku took me when I was five…hold on I need air."_

Shippou then swam away from her and disappeared from sight. Dolphins didn't have gills meaning he must have been going somewhere where there was oxygen. Kagome waited for several minutes before the dolphin appeared again.

"_That's better. I feel sorry for you, even though I too have been turned into a sea creature, at least I am still allowed to breathe in fresh air."_

"_I take it that your tank has an opening somewhere."_

"_Yep, a small tunnel that leads to the island."_

"_The island?"_

"_Never mind, I doubt Naraku will ever let you see it. So is there anything else you're confused about?"_

"_How am I talking to you? Naraku told me that this telepathy stuff only works when that machine is on."_

"_I already told you, you are just like one of those mermaids in all the stories. You are able to talk to sea creatures, but Naraku needs the machine to hear you."_

"_Because he is human and not a sea animal?"_

"_No, I bet if you tried hard enough you could communicate with a human, but you dislike Naraku and you are afraid of him so you don't have a mental connection."_

"_For a small child you sure know a lot."_

"_Well when you are forced to live in a tank you have nothing better to do then listen to those outside the glass."_

"_It seems that will be my fate as well."_

"_Hopefully, it seems Naraku is actually interested in just keeping you around unlike the other mermaids. He just ate them."_

"_He eats mermaids!"_ Kagome mentally shrieked.

"_That's what the other dolphins have told me, but it won't happen to you because you actually turned out right. Before I came here there was another mermaid he kept alive until the day she died naturally. Of course he ate her corpse, but at least he didn't eat her alive like the ones before her that didn't turn out exactly right."_

"_That's disgusting!"_ Kagome felt like retching…But who would want to swim in their own vomit?

"_Oh I see, you don't understand. It would be nice if you knew anything about mermaids before being turned into one. If you knew what mermaid flesh could do, then you wouldn't blame him for eating the others. Every time someone eats all the skin off of a mermaid one hundred years is added onto their life."_

Kagome was getting more confused by the second_, "The other mermaids and I were created by genetics though, weren't we? We aren't like the real mermaids from the myths who grant immortality."_

"_I don't now how, but you are just like a real mermaid. Naraku is evil, but he sure knows what he is doing with those genetics of his."_

"_I just want to get out of here. I wish I could see other humans and ask them to free me."_

"_Don't say that Kagome. You heard what Naraku said. If too many human eyes lay upon you at once you could die."_

"_I don't need a whole group to come here. If I am really able to link up with another human, then I only need one."_

"_Good luck with that. Ever since you came along, the basement has been off limits."_

Kagome floated to the bottom again_, "nice to see that you are so optimistic Shippou."_

"_Sorry Kagome," _Shippou said_, "but everyone has been trying to escape for as long as they have been here, but no one has ever been successful."_

She frowned_, "so I am to live in this tank until Naraku eats me? No I cannot accept that!"_

Silence was then the only response for a few seconds before Shippou began to swim away, _"sorry but I didn't get enough air."_

Kagome laid her body along the gravel as though it was a bed. Though it was not visible because of all the water around her, she was crying. Even the young child known as Shippou, had no hope in escaping this place. She would be trapped here until her life ran out or whenever Naraku decide to end it. She would never see her family or friends again, and while she floated in this tank, Kouga would marry a woman he didn't even know, let alone love.

"_Someone please help me," _the young mermaid cried woefully.

* * *

"Can I be of assistance Mr. Murashu?" Kagura asked, seeing Sesshoumaru in his temporary room staring at the vast beach outside his window.

"It's about time you have appeared Kagura," Sesshoumaru said, his eyes never leaving the window, "nice to see Naraku never replaces his servants."

"Hardly anyone ever leaves the island," the servant replied before leaning against the doorframe.

"I know that," he stated watching the hues in the sky turn gold similar to his own eye color, "that fact is the reason why I am now an only child."

"Even though the search parties left the island years ago, I have been keeping my eyes opened, but I still haven't found InuYasha's body."

"The search never would have ended if most of the men weren't found killed by animals."

"And if those men weren't killed, causing my master to go to court, then he wouldn't be asking for your family's wealth right now. It shouldn't even be Naraku's responsibility. His father Onigumo was the one who filled up this island with those killer animals."

"I see. So interest in animals must run through the family. Naraku is very fortunate; my step-mother also hasn't even attempted to take his money."

"She can't until InuYasha's body is found, and I bet that it will never happen at this rate."

"You may leave now Kagura," was all Sesshoumaru said, dismissing her.

"Very well," she left the doorframe and ambled back into the hallway, "dinner will be served in two hours."

Sesshoumaru waited until the servant left before he finally left the window. Damn that Naraku for putting him behind. The sooner Sesshoumaru left this island the better. Obviously there was something not quite right about it. After his brother wandered into the island's jungle and never returned, he didn't consider Naraku's home a great vacation spot.

"InuYasha are you out there somewhere?" Sesshoumaru asked the air as he sat down on the bed preparing to flip open his laptop.

There was only one bright side to being here right now. While he was here, the rest of his family was on the other side of the world. They weren't aware of the fact that he was actually curious on the whereabouts of his younger half-brother, InuYasha who has been missing for three years.

After thinking a bit more Sesshoumaru didn't feel motivated any longer to do anymore work. He placed the laptop on the bedside table and just laid there. This was the first time he was retiring to bed without having completing all of work getting it over and done with. Was he becoming lazy? But to his dismay his eyes only remained closed for a few seconds before a voice came to his head causing them to reopen.

"_Someone please help me."_

That voice was a strange one. It sounded like a female in distress. Not only was Naraku's home dangerous, but it was also causing him to hear voices in his head. It didn't end there though. All he could hear now was weeping. There was no way this was in his head. Insanity didn't run in his family. The noise must have been coming from somewhere, and he would put it to a stop for it was preventing his peaceful rest.

"I thought you didn't wish for any assistance," Kagura pointed out, when she saw Sesshoumaru emerge from the guest room.

"I don't," he barked as he stalked down the hallway.

"Then what are you doing?" the woman asked as she followed him down the hallway.

"Confronting a problem," the man answered flashing his golden eyes at her dangerously, "how am I supposed to rest if this damn place if there is so much cacophony?"

Kagura looked at him skeptically, "I don't hear anything."

"Then it looks as though I must take care of it myself. Leave me."

"Whatever, you damn snob," Kagura stated rudely as she froze and let him explore the rest of the mansion on his own.

* * *

"_Will that bitch shut up already!" _the crying mermaid heard one of the dolphins click angrily.

"_Give her a break,"_ another dolphin replied, _"she was human once just like the other half of us in this tank. They usually start to quiet down after a few days."_

Kagome heard conversations all around her. Even the fish in the other tank beside her was gossiping. The creatures who have always been a part of the sea said negative things about the mermaid, while the only ones who were her allies, were former humans.

"_Oh good,"_ she heard a fish say_, "I hear Naraku coming. He will probably shut her up."_

Upon hearing this Kagome quickly swam behind the biggest rock she could find. Naraku was the last thing she needed at this moment. Maybe it would be better if she could talk to him, seeing as how she wanted to go off since he stole her life, but the machine was turned off so it would be all in vain and useless.

Sesshoumaru didn't seem to care that he was walking into the basement, which Naraku had specifically told him that was restricted, at all. All he cared about was finding the source of the damn crying and tell whoever it was to either turn it down or go take it somewhere else. There were two things that Sesshoumaru cared about and that was getting his work done and silence. Already he knew he wouldn't be able to get his work done so he would be dammed if he allowed such noise to taint his ears.

"_That's not Naraku," _many dolphins started to chatter.

Kagome peered over her rock waiting for whoever it was to come into her view. Who was it? Someone who worked for Naraku? What if it wasn't? Maybe it was just a visitor who had come across this room. If that was the case, then maybe she would be freed soon. After all a mermaid wasn't an ordinary creature that would be found in a fish aquarium.

Sesshoumaru wasn't about to admit to himself that he was loosing his mind, but something was not right. He could still hear someone trying to control their tears, but no one was in sight. The basement was totally abandoned of all life except for the fish. All he could hear was the sound from the source he had been trying to track down and the clicking and ecolocation of dolphins.

He walked forward a little more to the next tank. The sound appeared to be the loudest here. He turned and faced the aquarium that seemed to be empty. Where was the life form that called for help and started to cry?

Kagome could now see him. It was a man with hair that seemed to be as white as snow. His eyes traveled all over her tank. Was he looking for her? The mermaid started to float out from behind the rock. Why wasn't she still hiding? Didn't Naraku tell her that she was probably going to fear all visitors? She didn't seem to want to hide at this moment.

"What kind of fish is that?" Sesshoumaru asked himself when he saw a strange tail fin, but then for the first time in his life his mouth gaped opened slightly when he saw the creature had a human body.

"_Why is he here?" _Kagome asked herself knowing that no one except the dolphins and fish could hear her.

Sesshoumaru shook his head and tried to process this. He knew this wasn't a dream. He was never the type to deny things by always telling himself that he was asleep. In front of him right now was a creature that appeared to be a mermaid. Was this an illusion? Whatever it was, it was being rude.

"Don't talk to me as though I am not here," he stated in annoyance.

Kagome's mouth then dropped open in her astonishment. He had heard her. She glanced forward and saw that the machine was off. How did he hear her? Did she link with a human just like Shippou said she could? Whoever he was, he didn't seem to be the kind who would even ever help her.

(End of Chapter 2)

* * *

My mouth is currently hanging wide open. Just one chapter and you guys gave me 33 reviews not counting ones I got on a single spark. I wasn't expecting that at all. I thought this would be a stupid idea, but you all seem to like it. Once again I thank Corlee for helping me edit it. Speaking of Corlee I would like to have more beta readers. Corlee is pretty much the beta reader of this fanfic, but I need some people to help me with the others. These are the requirements. If you are interested then fill out this application I am going to give you and either put it in a review or email it to (your fanfiction screen name)

IM Screen name: (you must have either: AOL, yahoo, or msn in order to be a beta reader)

Favorite Fanfic of mine: (which one are you interested in helping me with)

Your best fanfic (I want to read a fanfic of yours so I can see if you would be perfect for the job of improving my writing and correcting my grammar)

Gunny: Thank you very much…I think. I don't know because you're speechless so I can't hear you talk.

Sarah: Don't worry I have plans.

Angelamisaki: Are you being nice to me for once Angel? I am still going to steal all your doughnuts though and just leave you with your oven. Thanks to your suggestion I am going to have to walk all the way to the library and find this book.

Honeypots: I am honored to have you review then. And I know how you feel I just finished the last of my exams and I am finally out of school.

corlee1289: And even though you are my beta reader out of the kindness of my heart I will reply to your very long reviews. As you have probably noticed I am hiring more beta readers. But don't worry you're the only one who is allowed to work on this story. Oh and by the way I am also going to fix my summary so 'business' is spelled right. We all know that it is biz-naz


	3. A Visitor and a Story

Chapter 3

A Visitor and a Story

Kagome swam a few steps back unconsciously without her noticing. This man, this gorgeous man in front of her was able to hear and comprehend what she was thinking. Could he be the one that would help and set her free? Her and along with her friends? She studied him for a moment longer. No, he doesn't appear to be the compassionate type. Kagome sighed in defeat; there seem to be no one that would help her out of this hell hole.

"You can hear me?" Kagome asked hesitantly, not believing she was able to connect with a human.

"Of course I can. Can you not hear my talking to you right now at the moment?" Sesshoumaru's irritated response came out.

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure. No need to get all angry and worked up over about it."

"Wench, what sort of trickery is this?" Sesshoumaru growled out. This female that was before him could not be real, Sesshoumaru deduced. It had to be an illusion of some sort.

Kagome cocked her head to the side, not understanding what the man with snowy white hair was mumbling about. "What? What on earth are you babbling about? I'm a god damn mermaid. To make it even worse…I'm stuck here and I can't leave! Let alone try to go and save my friends who could be dead or dying at this moment!"

Sesshoumaru looked up in annoyance, "Mermaids only exist in the tales of pirates and in the stories told by old, drunken sailors. Do not expect this Sesshoumaru to fall for such a hoax."

Kagome's patience was wearing thin towards the stoic male. This arrogant man was reaching his limits.

"However, I guess you're a hologram that was created by Naraku to show and entertain himself on lonely nights." Sesshoumaru said coolly.

Kagome normally was a fiery spirit and would not have succumbed into tears and despair, for her self-esteem was not that low. However, taking into account the recent events that had happened to her. Kouga, her friends being in mortal danger, this idiotic male in close proximity to her, and her being transformed into a mermaid against her will was too much for anyone to handle.

"You bastard, if you believe I'm not real why are you still here?" Kagome sniffled, refusing to cry and having her eyes turn red.

"I am interested in seeing how advanced Naraku's technology is," he continued, "I didn't know mermaid holograms could cry."

"I am not a hologram! I am a teenaged girl who should be at all the mall right now with her friends and her loving boyfriend! Not here."

This sparked curiosity in the indifferent male, "You were once a teenaged girl? Usually the stories are in reverse and it is the mermaids that become teenagers."

"And now I see why. It's not fun to be locked in this god-forsaken aquarium waiting to be saved."

"I see Naraku has installed you with a program that creates stories."

"I am real!" Kagome's mind shouted in a fury, "Naraku turned me into a mermaid and then threw me into this place! He informed me that the only way I could talk was through that machine behind you. As you can clearly see it's off at the moment and I am still able to talk to you."

Sesshoumaru stood there and studied her. As he did Kagome couldn't help but look into his golden eyes. She had never seen anything like it before. Hers always seemed to be so full of life and emotion while the rest of him was the opposite. Her mother had always told her that you could see into someone's soul through their eyes and that's why everyone's eyes were different. Maybe he would help her.

"I don't have time to listen to programmed babble," the man then replied as he turned around to leave.

"Wait don't go," Kagome cried as she swam up as close to the glass as she could get and pounded hard on the glass, "please you have to help me."

He turned back around letting his eyes work their magic on her mind, "Even if you were real how would saving you benefit me?"

The mermaid took a second to think about an answer, "I don't know."

"Exactly," he got ready to leave again.

"Wait. My family has money. They will probably give you a reward if you can get me out of this."

It was then almost as though he was chuckling, "Money? Is that all? I am a Murashu, I have all the money I will ever need."

"Murashu?"

Kagome knew that name. It would be a sin to not know it since her family was in the business world. The only reason her family was wealthy was because of a few companies it owned, but it was nothing but dirt compared to the Murashu Company. The Murashu's ran a flawless empire that brought in millions a day. This man was right. No money her family could offer would be enough to make a difference in his wallet.

By the time she was done thinking about what his name meant the man was already gone. She wasn't going to be saved now, especially when businessmen like him seemed to be the only visitors on this island. These thoughts once more resulted in Kagome crying which forced the fish to complain once more.

"Kagome it will be okay," Shippou swam up close to her tank to reassure her, "It's not that bad here once you get use to it."

That didn't seem to work, "I will never see my family again and Naraku is going to eat me. I would say it **is** pretty bad."

"Naraku promised to spare you until you died naturally though," Shippou quickly responded, "and don't mermaids live for a long time?"

Kagome shook her head, "I am not a real mermaid Shippou. Just some kind of test result from an experiment."

"Mermaids don't exist so I would say you're real."

"Mermaids exist."

"What?"

"I know they do that's why I am not freaking out about this whole thing as much as I should. I know they exist because I met one once."

"Everyone has always told me that it is just a tale."

"That's because they haven't witnessed what I witnessed," Kagome told him as she stopped crying and focused on her memory.

* * *

About fifty miles off the coast of Japan was an island. The isle was only big enough to hold a small village, which led to the plot of land being called Village Island. Its population was mostly farmers since it was away from the huge cities and had fertile soil, but that didn't mean the population was big. Since there were such a few people on a small island everyone knew everything about each other.

There wasn't much to know though because everyone on the island was the same. They were all very religious, which lead to the church ruling over the island. And since everyone was loyal to their faith, the rulers smiled upon all their citizens, except one family.

The Yamada's, like all the other families on Village Island, were loyal to the church and considered it a sin to ever miss a single day of church, but once the daughter of Hiten Yamada grew up, their name became sullied. Zita Yamada was known as the troubled youngster of Village Island. She was always rebelling against everything her family told her and she didn't seem to enjoy going to church at all. That became noticed the very day she turned the age of eighteen, moving to Japan and came back with a man who practiced Hindu for a husband. The church quickly forced them to leave the island ordering them stay in Japan and the same was to go for the rest of the Yamadas if they did not disown Zita. Hiten eventually did and he never heard word from his offspring again till one night in November.

"Hiten is someone knocking on the door?" the master of the household's wife, Destiny, asked while knitting a sweater.

Hiten Yamada grumbled as he lowered his paper, "It is almost ten at night. Who in the hell would come to our door at this night?"

"Shall I get it?" Destiny asked.

"No," her husband snapped, "For all we know it could be some kind of atheist murderer. I will handle it."

The door was knocked on about ten more times as Hiten left his recliner and went to his gun cabinet, picking out his best hunting gun. He then held it out in front of him as he forcefully opened the door and listened to the screams that came from the visitor. He then lowered the gun and saw who it was.

"If it's not my disowned Hindu son-in-law," Hiten muttered, "Give me a reason not to shoot you!"

"Mr. Yamada please," the man with unkempt hair and stain filled clothes replied, "Can I please come in?"

"No!" the old man barked, "Whatever business you have with me you can do it on that porch."

"It's about Zita," his son- in-law replied timidly.

"Like I said you can discuss it on the porch."

"She is dead."

"My daughter is dead?" came the cry from Destiny who quickly rushed to her husband's side.

"You should retire to bed Destiny," was the only response the women got from her husband.

"Hiten, Zita is dead!" she cried.

Hiten placed his hand forcefully on his wife's shoulder, "Destiny our daughter died the day she married this scum. It is of no concern."

"How can you be so cold?" their unwanted visitor asked.

Hiten just moved his hand to shut the door when the son-in-law quickly put his foot in the way, "Please just listen to me Mr. Yamada. I need your help."

"You have done plenty already."

"Do you even care about what Zita died from?"

"No I do not."

"She died giving birth! Birth to your grand daughter."

Hiten then finally gave up on shutting the door, "Why have you come to tell me this? Onigumo, I believe your name is."

"I feel horrible about what I did. I forced you to disown your daughter and I want to make up for it."

"You could never do that."

"Yes I can," Onigumo tried to tell him as he made a bundle in his arms visible.

Hiten and Destiny studied the bundle and saw that it held a baby girl. A girl with raven hair and doe brown eyes. The baby stared up at them looking pure and innocent before letting out a giggle.

"She looks exactly like Zita," Destiny gasped.

"Her name is Kagome," Onigumo explained to them, "She looks exactly like Zita and nothing like me. I can't afford to raise her, so I was thinking that since I took Zita away I could replace her. You two could raise her to be the daughter you wanted Zita to be."

"What do you think Hiten?" Destiny asked him, "I have no problem with it. I am getting old and I want to have a daughter again."

Hiten just let out a grunt before grabbing the bundle that held Kagome and then slammed the door in Onigumo's face.

* * *

"I thought that you said your parents were wealthy," Shippou stated after taking an air break, "not that you lived with your grandparents on an island."

"I was adopted by wealthy parents." The mermaid corrected him as she leaned against the glass, "I never saw my real parents and by the time I turned six my grandmother had died and I never saw my grandfather again."

"What happened to your grandfather?" the young dolphin asked curiously.

"I will tell you about it later," Kagome said before she cringed in a pain, the pain coming from her stomach, "am I suppose to starve to death or something? What am I suppose to eat being like this?"

Shippou swam closer and studied everything in her glass home, "Looks like the only vegetation you have in there is seaweed. I think you're probably supposed to eat that."

Hearing this just made Kagome even feel worse, "Seaweed? That is so gross. It's all smelly."

"Just because it was disgusting while you were human doesn't mean it's the same now. If Naraku changed how we taste salt water then he probably made a change to the seaweed. Just try it."

Kagome stared at the huge patch that was growing against her aquarium, "What if he hasn't changed it?"

"He has. He changed all the stuff in here so we would find it suitable to eat."

Kagome gulped one more time as she grabbed a handful of the green slimy plant. She wouldn't even consider going near the thing if she wasn't so hungry. Her eyes shut tightly as she put in her mouth waiting for an icky taste, but instead she smiled for she recognized the taste of peanut butter brittle.

"It's good," Kagome announced with a smile as she got more of the yummy sea grass, "I will get full and then once you go up for air and come back I will continue the story Shippou."

"Okay," the inner young child of the animal chirped.

Another dolphin then swam close to her tank and talked in a voice that told Kagome it was a female dolphin, "It is indeed an interesting story so far. I will listen since I can't watch my stories in the evenings anymore."

"I guess the beginning kind of was," Kagome replied to what the older dolphin told her, "sorry I couldn't go more into depth about what went on between my mother and father, but all I remember is that she was suppose to be bonded to the family and island, but she met my father who was a Hindu."

"Just like on my soaps," the former woman said, "now if only there was a leading guy."

"There is," Kagome announced with a smile, "he comes later in the story. Of course he was a boy, but that boy is the reason I feel for a man known as Kouga that I love. Kouga was helpful, strong, and caring just like the boy from my memories, and opposite of the jerk who was just in here."

* * *

"Mermaid," Sesshoumaru muttered to himself just for humor, "as though Naraku had a real mermaid."

If Sesshoumaru found some kind of half human half shark he wouldn't be surprised. After all Naraku had been accused over and over again for using humans in his marine genetics, but a mermaid? That just wasn't possible. How would a former human be able to live in salt water without dehydrating? And what would she eat?

"Dinner was ready ten minutes ago," Kagura interrupted his thoughts rudely, "where were you at?"

"None of your business," Sesshoumaru snapped as he walked past her to go to the dining hall.

Kagura ignored him as she trotted down the hallway to find the basement entrance. The entrance was latched just as Naraku left it. There was no way anyone could get in and out of there. Sesshoumaru wouldn't be a problem then. This time she had nothing on her master. The servant shrugged before heading back to the dining hall where Sesshoumaru sat alone.

"Sorry Naraku couldn't make it," she told him.

"I am forced to have an exact time when I must eat dinner, but yet the host doesn't?"

She sat across from him, "He was going to arrive, but he is far to busy with perfected his experiments for when you come and see them."

"I see," Sesshoumaru's response was as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Kagura demanded to know as he made it clear that he was going to leave.

"I really only like to attend business dinners. This clearly isn't one so I must return to my computer to finish the rest of my work."

Once he escaped from the woman, Sesshoumaru thought about what he was going to do. He couldn't really do any work because he finished it all on the plane. He couldn't go to sleep because he really wasn't tired. Sesshoumaru just strolled down the hallway to go do something he knew he was going to regret.

* * *

"How is this grandma?" a three-year-old Kagome asked her grandmother as she stepped off of her stool and revealed a plate that had just been cleaned.

"Perfect my dear," Destiny praised her grandchild after teaching her how to do the dishes, "what do you think Hiten?"

The older man just grunted from behind his newspaper, "That's what a woman should be doing."

Kagome had learned even by the age of three to not take what her grandfather said seriously. He was just extra grouchy in the morning while he read his evening paper and mostly the rest of the day he said stuff like that as a joke to entertain his male hired help when they came in for lemonade after hours of working on the corn field. Kagome just smiled as she quickly got on the step and finished the rest of the dishes.

"Since you have done such a great job today Kagome, I have you a surprise," her grandmother told her with a smile appearing on her aged and wrinkled face.

"What is it grandma?" the little girl asked curiously as she stared up at her elder.

There was then a knock on the door, "There it is right now. You stay here while I take care of it."

Kagome was left in the kitchen with her grandfather who just grunted behind the protection of his newspaper again, "She shouldn't be rewarded for doing what she is meant to be doing."

Destiny then came in came in with a little girl. She was about five and looked a little like Kagome, however her hair was straighter and her eyes were darker. Her clothes were also much better looking.

"Look Hiten and Kagome," the old woman smiled, "Zita has returned."

"That's your niece Kikyo," Hiten corrected his wife still not putting the paper down even though he has probably read every article by now.

"Kikyo that's right," Destiny corrected herself, "Kagome you and Kikyo can play together while I clean the house and grandpa brings in the harvest."

"So you're Kagome," Kikyo said to herself, "let's go to the beach."

"Girls your age should learn to read your Bibles better rather then play in that salty water," another comment came from Hiten.

"I am going to start teaching Kagome how to read tomorrow," Destiny reassured Hiten, "let the girls play for today."

Kagome's grandfather finally nodded and that meant there was permission for the two to run outside. Kikyo seemed to know her way to the ocean just fine, while Kagome couldn't remember without her grandmother nearby. By the time the reached the beach Kagome's curiosity finally got the best of her.

"Kikyo why did my grandma call you Zita?"

"Because she is crazy," Kikyo replied, "my daddy told me that she went crazy when your grandpa got rid of your mom."

"Grandma Destiny isn't crazy!" Kagome then replied defensively.

"Yes she is."

"No she isn't."

"If my daddy says she is then she is."

"I hope you get lost at sea Kikyo!"

* * *

"Then what happened?" Shippou asked eagerly.

"Well if I was three again I wish I would have taken my words back because when Kikyo turned fifteen I heard she really did get lost at sea," Kagome informed him before she released a yawn.

"Getting tired," the boy questioned.

"Sort of," Kagome replied, "it is late. You probably are as well. Maybe we should hold off the rest of the story for later."

"Okay," Shippou told her with a voice that held a hint of his own exhaustion before he swam away from her tank.

Kagome used her tail fin to swim to the multi-colored gravel below her. She lay down on the pile finding it not so uncomfortable, before her eyelids finally lowered and she drifted off to sleep. By the time she was deep in slumber Sesshoumaru entered the room once again without any trouble and just stared at the sleeping mermaid.

"Was she just programmed to sleep or is it real?" Sesshoumaru asked himself before turning around and seeing some kind of white box on the wall.

That was the same device the mermaid was talking about earlier. The device that enabled her to talk to other people. It was off though, so how was this possible? The device did seem to be hooked up to her tank maybe it controlled the hologram and turning it on would make the mermaid wake up or turn her off. His hand quickly flipped the on button to see what would happen.

(End of Chapter 3)

* * *

AN: Okay once again thanks to Corlee for beta reading this. And Blue Rhapsody for proofreading it. So what does everyone think so far? At first I thought this was a stupid idea, but you all seem to like it for it has 70 reviews with just two chapters. You all get a cookie once it goes to 100. Oh and if anyone is wondering…Teen Blues will be done soon I promise…Oh and thank you Corlee for also writing the first page….too bad second and third sucked…just joking.

Angelamisaki: I don't like it when you bitch though. So I will have bad experiments laying around just for you.

Malitia: Quit giving me ideas! Next thing you know Naraku would want that to happen so he would get more mermaids then.

Corlee1289: Okay I am both happy and proud with you. And now I feel like going zombie hunting. Also its always Murashu because that's the last name profiler120 uses and I think its better then Sagia and she gave me permission to steal her last names.

Honeypots: It's been three weeks hasn't it?

Blue-Moon Sky: Of course how would things work without our favorite hanyou?

silver pup: which story do you think is the best?


	4. A Story and a Hope

**Chapter 4**

**A Story and a Hope**

_What kind of trickery was he seeing now? Sesshoumaru seemed to have gone from Naraku's sea creature filled basement to some kind household. And it must have been an average household for it wasn't as luxurious as his father's._

_It seemed Sesshoumaru was in some kind of living room for there sat a TV on an entertainment display next to a stereo. There were also two couches and a recliner. He stopped examining the room once he heard the door open. Just great. Not only had he been transported to some kind of house, but also now he would be listed as an intruder._

"_This is home?" Sesshoumaru heard the voice of a young girl question as the door opened._

_A group of three entered the room. Sesshoumaru was waiting for them to start yelling at him and demanding to know why he was there, but they didn't even seem to notice him. Maybe the mermaid's talking device was actually some kind of virtual reality creation of Naraku's and no one could see him or interact within him._

_The group that had entered the room was made of two adults, both had brown hair but the male had green eyes while the female had blue. The third one was a young girl with short raven hair and chocolate brown eyes who had to be about eight. He would assume they were a family except the young girl held no traits of the adults. Either she was adopted or she got all her looks from a different parent before marriage. There was something similar about her and he just couldn't figure out what it was._

"_Not really," the man told the young girl as they walked around not paying any notice to the sliver haired male who stood in the middle of their living room, "this small house is just the one that we have here on the coast. All the bigger ones were taken. Our real home has much more room and is in Tokyo."_

"_Yes Kagome so don't get too comfortable," the woman told the young girl, "we will catch a plan tomorrow and be on our way."_

"_Kagome," Sesshoumaru said to himself out loud._

_That name sounded similar as well. At least he had a name to go with the face, but where did he know this girl from? All he could figure out so far was that they were on the coast somewhere and this family had a mansion in Tokyo just like his father._

"_What's this thing," the young girl known as Kagome asked as she walked in front of the TV._

_The man laughed as he put one had on her shoulder, "guess you didn't have any form of entertainment besides collecting sea shells on that god forsaken island. Here I will explain it to you."_

Sesshoumaru then went from seeing a happy little girl smile back to the basement where he was standing in front of the mermaid's tank. The mermaid appeared to be awakening. She floated up with her eyes still shut.

"_This water is almost impossible to sleep in," _she complained loudly to herself before her eyes opened and she was face to face with him once again.

"I thought that device was to allow you to talk with those outside of the tank," Sesshoumaru told the mermaid once she noticed him. (Yes, I used tank what are you going to do about it!)

"That's what Naraku told me," she responded nervously floating away from the glass and the view of his gorgeous golden orbs.

"Well Naraku must have lied to his little hologram," Sesshoumaru said, "Because it is some kind of virtual reality device."

"Virtual reality?" Kagome questioned, "You mean those machines that make you think you're in a place that isn't real?"

"Yes," he answered, "it didn't show me anything interesting though. Just a couple bringing a girl to some kind of vacation house while talking about a mansion they have in the city."

That rose Kagome's interest quickly enough, "what did this couple look like."

"They both had brown hair and different eyes colors and looked nothing like the girl. The woman was probably cheating around on her husband."

Kagome thought about it and realized Sesshoumaru was talking about her parents. Well of course not her real parents but the ones that adopted her from Village Island. She remembered them clearly at the moment because she just had a dream about them. In her dream they had just brought her home to the vacation home on the coast. Just like Sesshoumaru said he saw while messing with the machine.

"You saw my dream," Kagome announced.

"What are you babbling about fish?" Sesshoumaru demanded to know while studying her glass retainer.

"That's better then being a hologram I guess," she sighed, "but anyways I just went to sleep and in my sleep I remembered when my parents brought me home for the first time. I was the little girl."

Sesshoumaru walked up to her aquarium and examined her. Kagome, feeling a bit uncomfortable with his examination did the same to him, he was definitely a Murashu. His hair was long and sliver and he was dressed in the finest suit.

Sesshoumaru was using his mind to compare the girl from the machine's image to the mermaid in front of him. The only reason that he paid attention to that small girl was that she looked so similar for some reason. Now that he thought about it the similar girl looked a lot like the woman who was half a fish and in the tank in front of him.

"What is your name?" he barked out the question.

"K-Kagome Higurashi," the mermaid responded a bit timidly.

Sesshoumaru looked up once hearing her name, "I suppose your story might be true then. The girl in your so called dream went by the name Kagome and she looked just like you."

"That's because I am her and that dream was a memory of mine."

"A memory?"

"Yes I see my memories in my dreams a lot."

Shippou who was using his flipper to tap on the tank then interrupted them, "I hate to interrupt you two, but the rest of us hear footsteps. Naraku is coming so your visitor must leave if he doesn't want to get caught."

"Thank you Shippou," Kagome thanked him as the small dolphin swam off.

"Who is Shippou?" Sesshoumaru asked kind of annoyed in how this was going.

"Oh that's right you can only hear me," Kagome noted to herself, "he is one of the dolphins in the aquarium. He was once a little boy but Naraku changed him just like he did to me."

"Making up more tales hologram?"

"It's not a tale. And Shippou told me that Naraku is coming."

Sesshoumaru was about to deny her story telling once more when he heard footsteps, "Another time, mermaid."

And like that, Sesshoumaru swiftly but yet quietly went out using a different exit. Kagome repeated his words over in her mind as he left. He said another time. Did that mean he would come back? Maybe if he came back she could convince him to save her. Her happy thoughts were then ruined by the smirk of Naraku.

Sesshoumaru stood in the hallway after going through a small door that was close by the library. Was Naraku somehow unaware that there were two doors leading to the basement? He already knew that the main one was latched up tightly, but he knew about this entrance for a long time since he use to hide behind that door when he had to visit her as a child.

The nicely dressed man quickly went back into his room and shut the door behind him before that damn Kagura could spot him. Kagura had been keeping a close eye on him ever since they were children. She was the daughter of one of Naraku's clients back then, so he could only guess that she was in need of a job so Naraku hired her as a servant.

As he sat on the bed and looked out the window at the ocean he thought about the mermaid again. Was he seeing her dream? It made sense since she knew everything he had seen. Maybe since the device was made for talking to her, which he could do just fine without, he was able to see her dreams instead.

"That young child in the dream," Sesshoumaru said to himself, "why is she so similar?"

He then stood up and removed his fine silk suit so his bare chest shown. It became clear to anyone who peered at his chest that when he wasn't helping his father run the company he was working on his body. He had a nice shiny six-pack that was almost flawless if it wasn't for a scar on the left side right in the middle. He would never forget the day he got that. It was one out of the two memories that stood out the most in his memory even though the details weren't vivid.

"_This island is too damn boring father," a young boy with short sliver hair told his father who walked with him along the beach, "there isn't even a TV in the hotel room. Just a Bible and a knitting kit."_

"_The people on this island aren't exactly like us," the father told his six-year-old son with a smile, "Sesshoumaru do you know why we are here?"_

_The boy shook his head, "Work?"_

_He laughed in reply, "No, but I have been doing that a lot lately haven't I?"_

"_I never see you anymore," Sesshoumaru replied while picking up a stick in one hand and making a trail in the sand as they walked._

_Inutashio sighed, "Sesshoumaru do you still think about her?"_

"_Think about who father?"_

"_Your mother?"_

_A frown appeared on the boy's face as he let the stick drop to the ground, "No. I am too old to think about dead people."_

"_Your only six," Inutashio stated plainly, "your mother died last year and I think it would be better if you wouldn't refer to her as just a mere dead person."_

"_Why? She isn't coming back."_

"_No she isn't, but I don't want you to forget about her."_

"_Why would I?"_

"_Sesshoumaru you might think that your old and that you're a man, but your not. You're only six and boys your age tend to forget things by the time they are older."_

"_It's too late. I can't remember mother's face on my own without the pictures. And I don't like to look at the pictures."_

_Inutashio held on to his son's hand once more, "It will be okay Sesshoumaru. As long as you can remember everything else you will be fine for now on. Your new mother will take care of you."_

"_New mother?"_

"_Sesshoumaru the reason I haven't been home at all is because when I wasn't working long hours I was meeting a woman. Her name is Izayoi and she and I will be married soon."_

"_You and mom are married though."_

"_Sesshoumaru once a woman or a man dies their living partner aren't married anymore."_

"_But can't you still say you're married. I don't want a new mother."_

"_If only I talked about this earlier. We have agreed to wed already, and Sesshoumaru soon you're going to have a brother."_

"_My mother always told me she would give me a brother before she got cancer."_

"_But she can't now Sesshoumaru, so Izayoi will do that for you."_

"_Izayoi isn't my mother though."_

"_I know she isn't, and you need to remember your real mother, but think of Izayoi as a second mother. She invested in the crops here on this island, and that's why we are here."_

_Inutashio then looked at his son once more. Sesshoumaru had tears in his eyes. He really didn't want this. It was too late though. Inutashio had to make him accept this quickly before it got worse._

"_Listen son, you had a mother and now she is dead so you are going to get a new one and since she is already pregnant with your brother so I can't change anything."_

"_No!" Sesshoumaru yelled, "It's not true!"_

"_Yes it is Sesshoumaru, and you need to accept it!"_

"_No," he said once more as he got out of his father's grip and ran away along the beach hoping his father wouldn't catch him._

"What do you want?" Kagome dared to ask once Naraku faced her.

Naraku turned around and saw that the machine was on, "I just wanted to look at you, not hear you, but it appears for some reason your talking box is on after I shut it off. Has someone been down here?"

"I haven't seen anyone," Kagome answered before remembering something that really made her mad, "but I have been talking to a young kid named Shippou that has a dead mother because of you, you dirty slime!"

"Now you see why I like your machine off," was Naraku's only response, "don't worry he will join her son. I never have any dolphins last that long after being transformed."

"If Shippou dies, I will kill you," the mermaid threatened him.

He just smirked as his finger tapped on her glass, which was really annoying, "And how pray tell are you going to do that my little mermaid?"

"When I eventually get out of here I guess…" Kagome told him not really knowing the answer.

"And you never will," Naraku laughed, "even if you could what would you do? Smack me to death with your tailfin?"

"This is all just wrong and disgusting though."

"Does it look like I care?"

"No, and that's what's so wrong about this. Shippou's mother died because of you and my friends might have as well."

"I still don't care so you shouldn't as well. Now I am going to turn this sound off once again."

Naraku did as he said he was going to do so no more words were heard from her. How did Naraku hear nothing, but yet Sesshoumaru was able to hear her just fine? Something strange was going on.

"I will have to come back some other time," Naraku had his back facing her as he was leaving the basement, "your talking has ruined my mood."

Kagome was then left alone once more. Naraku was right. There was nothing she could do. Naraku was on the outside while she was inside a reservoir. No one would save her. After what happened earlier, could she put any faith into Sesshoumaru? He said he would not have anything to do with her if it didn't benefit him, but then he told her that he would return. Why would he return if he could care less about her?

"_Sesshoumaru get back here right now!" Inutashio's voice thundered over the beach as he lost track of his son._

_This wasn't good. Sesshoumaru had somehow outsmarted him and hid himself. And right when a storm was brewing. If only he would have said something to Sesshoumaru about finding a new mother earlier and this wouldn't have happened. It was too late though. Inutashio's fiancée was really pregnant with her first child and they had fallen in love._

_The sliver haired boy spent a few seconds trying to catch his breath as he hid behind a pile of driftwood on the beach. He knew he should return to the motel, but his father was the only one who knew the way from here and Sesshoumaru didn't wish to hear anymore of why his mother was being replaced. To top it all off, he was going to have a brother as well. He had always wanted one, but a brother that didn't have anything to do with his mother wouldn't really be a brother at all._

_Sesshoumaru's feelings didn't improve when he heard the big boom of thunder in the sky. This storm was going to be a really bad one. He needed to get out of here. He stood up and got ready to run but a sharp pain immobilized him in his chest. The young boy looked down and saw that there was a fish-cleaning knife stuck in the driftwood and it was hanging out so that it cut him when he dashed forward. Sesshoumaru cried bloody murder as he saw how deep it was and the blood staining his light colored polo shirt._

"_Father! Father!" Sesshoumaru kept screaming, but it made no difference. The sky filled up with lighting and the sound of thunder probably prevented his father from hearing him._

_Sesshoumaru laid down on the sand still crying for his father, but he didn't come, "Father I am sorry. I want a new mother just rescue me!"_

_Still nothing. The small boy stayed on the ground and cried until that used up all his energy along with blood loss resulting in him falling asleep. _

"You stuck up for me and my dead parents," Shippou said to Kagome as he swam to her again, "thanks."

Kagome smiled with a nod, "It wasn't enough though. I loath him deeply. I want to make him pay."

"So would all of us," Shippou told her as he stretched out his small tail a bit, "even the creatures that were never human, but all we ever do is leave the aquarium to show him not even animals will be around him."

"Where do you all go for air anyways?" Kagome asked curiously.

"The island," the dolphin simply answered, "some animals come up for air on Naraku's roof, but we have our own lagoon that our tank leads too."

"Oh I see. So all the tanks have passage ways that lead to the surface?"

"Except animals like you who don't need air, but it is a nice place to see. I only come down here to sleep and get out of the sun once in awhile."

"Hard to believe there would be anything nice on this island."

"Well there are some scary things up there, especially at night, but during the day it's wonderful."

"What is so scary up there?"

"I don't exactly know. All I know is tales that the other older dolphins have told me. All we know for sure is that Naraku didn't learn all of these horrible genetics on his own. His father, Menomaru, was the one who went really crazy with it. Unlike his son, Menomaru did weird things to all kinds of different land animals and the results of those experiments are all on the island."

"Naraku seems to have many visitors. Why haven't they noticed?"

"Because for some reason the creatures only come out at night. And unlike Naraku who rids himself of all the experiments that didn't come out right Menomaru kept them as a reminder to not mess up next time. Some of those disgusting life forms are still there. And worst of all they eat us. One of the dolphins I use to know got killed by some kind of mix between a camel and an alligator."

Kagome was getting disgusted now, "What? Why would you ever go up there then? It sounds way too dangerous."

"We have to," Shippou sighed, "we need the air and the lagoon is where our food is given to us at. If we aren't up there at a good time we starve."

"Then what do you do at night when you need air?" Kagome asked almost not wanting to hear the answer thinking it was probably 'take our chances'.

"Pray that the guardian is nearby," was Shippou response.

"The guardian?"

"He is another one of those creatures except he is smart like a human. Rumors say he was the one once and he was the first ever human to be experimented with on this island. He protects all of us former humans."

"What does he look like?"

"I really haven't seen him since he only appears at night, but its rumored that he is a half man half dog with sliver hair and sharp claws."

"That sounds kind of scary."

"Trust me, he isn't anything compared to the rest of the monsters up there."

Kagome yawned once more, "I will take your word for it then."

Shippou yawned right after her, "We should go on back to bed."

"Yes we should. I was in the middle of telling a story, wasn't I? Since there isn't anything else to do I might as well get my energy up to finish it."

"What will you do after you kill all that time?"

"Hope."

"Do you really think that guy you called a jerk will help you?" the young child asked.

"I don't know," Kagome answered truthfully, "but he said he would return so I will hope that he has intentions that work in our favor."

**(End of Chapter 4)**

**AN (not just normal AN...AN in BOLD!) : 2 Chapters written in two days. I am on a roll. Maybe I should just finish this story this week. Unlike Castle Captive and Shadow Filled Hearts I actually know where I am going with this fic so I am not going to go chapter after chapter of useless stuff. And since I know where I am going I bet this will only have 10 chapters maximum. There will be no sequel because I don't know where this would ever go. Oh and thanks to Corlee for being the best beta reader ever!**

**Joey: You forgot? You little evil person!**

**Kagome21: If I told you that would ruin the surprise now wouldn't it?**

**Tara Sessho: Um…I sure hope they are not. After all there are already going to be too many damn coincidences in this story. I could have sworn that somewhere in the beginning I said that Menomaru was Naraku's father. Looks like I am going on a word hunt.**

**Leunra: Are you sure? I like my mermaid with sweet and sour sauce. Yummy! Sweet and Sour sauce taste good on everything. Especially grilled Sango and Miroku. I am kidding I don't think I have the heart to let those two die.**


	5. Hope and an Escape

**Chapter 5**

**A Hope and an Escape**

_"Why is the beach so dirty?" Kagome asked after her and Kikyo not talking to each other for a few minutes._

"_There was just a storm," Kikyo explained to her three year old cousin who just cursed her with getting lost out a sea a few minutes ago, "usually after a storm a whole bunch of wood and trash from other islands and countries comes to the shore."_

"_Really?" Kagome questioned never hearing about this before, "there might be something neat in there."_

"_You shouldn't go anywhere near it," Kikyo snapped sounding pretty mature for a child who was only five, "dad says that only lurkers look through that stuff and people don't like lurkers because their smelly and drink too much."_

"_Lokers?" Kagome usually had an impressive vocabulary for a toddler, but there were still some words that she just couldn't pronounce every once in awhile._

"_Lurkers," the other girl corrected, "for someone who is only two years younger then me your not that smart. Anyways daddy says that when people don't like to go to church anymore the priest takes their farm away so they spend day after day searching through the mess on the beach looking for stuff to sell so they can buy drinks and food."_

"_Oh so if we look through the trash we will be a Loker."_

"_Lurker. And yes we would be so going through the driftwood is bad. Daddy said touching it is also dangerous. If we are not careful we could trip or run into it while it has sharp metal in it."_

"_That would be bad."_

"_Especially if the metal turns musty," Kikyo then proved her vocabulary had flaws as well because she meant rusty, "then you have to get a shot."_

_Kagome gulped right away, "I don't like shots."_

"_So stay away from it then."_

"_But Kikyo how are we souppose to work on sandcastles if the beach is so dirty."_

"_We will have to work on it far away from the water."_

"_But then there would be no rocks or sea shells to build doors and windows with."_

"_That's right. Okay how about if I go look for a nice clean sandy spot while you go into the water and get enough rocks and shells to last us awhile."_

_Kagome agreed and she was eager to run towards the water. She knew it would be a bit dangerous, but she wanted to prove to her cousin that she wasn't some kind of worthless three year old. Her job was pretty easy as well. Not only had the storm brought in a whole lot of wood and trash, but also everywhere Kagome looked she saw there were multi-colored rocks, sand dollars, sea stars, and shells. _

_The only challenge Kagome was facing was trying to carry them all. She had so many lovely sea items and she couldn't stand to part with a single one. Kagome put it all down on the ground once she came across a big pile. Maybe if Kagome searched through it while her cousin wasn't looking she could find some kind of sack or tarp to place her treasures in._

_Kagome circled the pile first to see if maybe something was laying on the outside, but all she noticed was the sand. For some reason a few bits of it were stained by red dots. Her eyes traveled along the trail of red until she found the source. Upon looking at what it was Kagome released an ear-piercing scream._

* * *

_"What was it?"_ Shippou was eager to learn after they had gotten up early in the morning so the rest of the story could be told.

"_The very thing that caused me to fall in love with Kouga,"_ Kagome replied a bit edgy to mentioning her former boyfriend's name since she definitely would never be with him now.

"_Do you think Kouga misses you?"_ Shippou asked not knowing about the heart-breaking story behind the two lovers.

"_I hope he doesn't,"_ the mermaid said, _"you see me and Kouga had been going out since high school and he even asked me to marry him, but then I found out he was engaged to another woman since before he was born. I hope he learns to love her and forget about me, especially since he will never see me again."_

"_How tragic,"_ the same female dolphin from before added in having nothing better to do then listen to Kagome's sad life stories, _"first your mother gets disowned for daring to fall in love with a man of a different religion and then you lose the man you love to another woman who might not even get along with him."_

"_Its that damn Yamada love curse,"_ she sighed, _"Grandma married a jerk and my mother got disowned because she married a Japanese man, but my situation isn't as bad as theirs so I think when I became a Higurashi it didn't have that big of an affect. I could be like Modoriko and have no one love me at all because everyone thought I was crazy."_

"_Midoriko?"_ the dolphin asked.

_"Another woman who will appear in my story as soon as I get somewhere in telling it,"_ Kagome explained as she sat on a coral rock eating more sea grass that had a chance in flavor for today it tasted like strawberries.

_"All you do is talking about random woman and family curses,"_ Shippou then whined after he came down from his air break, "when are we going to hear about some mermaids."

_"Once you hear about Modoriko you will hear about the mermaids. I want to hear more about the island though and its mysterious guardian."_

_"Just continue. This is more interesting."_

_"Let me eat first, but anyways the boy I am about to tell you about was very helpful and he might have saved my life once. If it weren't for him I would either be dead or still stuck in that island with my grandfather. I can't remember what he looks like though. When I try and remember I imagine him with black hair in a pony tail just like Kouga. He probably looked way different though."_

* * *

"Naraku has fallen behind in his experiment," Sesshoumaru explained to his father on his expensive and flash cell phone while waking up still shirtless with only his dress pants.

"And let me guess your in a horrible rage right now because you feel as though you have been sent there to wait around while you could be here hosting business meetings," his father's voice was heard on the phone.

Sesshoumaru thought about that. That's how he usually would have acted, but now he wasn't so sure. He knew now that as wrong as it was that mermaid downstairs was alive, and she wasn't that bad to talk to. She even entertained him a little. So at least he wouldn't be stuck here alone. And if her story was true she could benefit him. Sesshoumaru could not only have Naraku sent away for turning a human into a fish, but he could exploit her maybe to scientist or to news companies and get a few more million dollars. Maybe he could use the money he made off of her to start a company better then his father's, or maybe he could even buy his father's.

"Actually I don't mind a little vacation," Sesshoumaru assured his father.

"Okay so who are you and where is my son?" Inutashio joked around.

"He has discovered something on this island that will make him rich," Sesshoumaru spoke in third person to add to his father's joke, which was rare for him, meaning he was probably in a good mood.

"I doubt that," his father chuckled, "you couldn't have my money even if you found a diamond mine."

"You won't be saying that once I buy yours."

"Keep dreaming son," he said before his tone seemed to get serious, "Sesshoumaru I know you probably can care less about this question but Izayoi won't be able to sleep at night until I ask."

"No father I have not seen any signs of Inuyasha, but then again I haven't really been outside. Kagura at least says she has seen nothing and I can't search the island when Naraku has a fence around everything that says restricted. You're going to have to eventually tell her that there is no hope. Inuyasha disappeared a long time ago."

"I think she knows that Sesshoumaru, but when I announced you were going to the island the memories came back and giving her a bit of hope was the only way to calm her down."

"Seems like that can be more lethal then helpful."

"I know, but it seemed to work the last time I had to visit there."

"Whatever, I will keep my eyes opened if it makes your wife happy," Sesshoumaru said taking the phone away from his face, "good bye."

While on the phone he had pretty much made up his mind. Once Sesshoumaru knew Naraku was back in his lab working he would confront the mermaid once more and get more information. This time of course he would get a witness of valid proof that she was real. Then Naraku would be locked up in jail for what he did to the girl and everyone would be knocking at his door to learn more about the mermaid.

Sesshoumaru then realized he had not thought this plan all the way through. He didn't own Kagome. Once he got Naraku in trouble she would go right into the hands of scientist. Even if that weren't the case she would demand to be with her family again. As he thought about her family that's when he got his idea. What if he simply took the mermaid while Naraku wasn't looking and then make money off of her? He seemed to be the only one who could hear her while she was in water so she wouldn't be able to say anything otherwise.

Sesshoumaru continued to think about it. He could convince everyone he found her in the sea and if Naraku found out about it he couldn't say a word or his secret would be revealed. Kagome would become his item that would lead to riches.

"My mermaid," Sesshoumaru whispered to himself.

While he was thinking about all the things that could be done with Kagome as his mermaid he thought about the creature that lived in the sea, which had been described in myths. Would someone out there be able to tell the difference between her and a real one? That is if anyone had ever seen a real one just like he had heard about long ago.

Not only had he heard about the creatures, but he had also got a glimpse of one. All on another island not far from Japan while his father was meeting Inuyasha's mother and eventually marrying her. Sesshoumaru could hardly remember what it looked like though. Everything was fading from his memory. It seemed like every year when he grew another year older he forgot about one year of his childhood. At least he still remembered what was said even though he had forgotten the names and faces of those involved.

_The young boy named Sesshoumaru woke up on the beach sand coughing and cringing at the taste of seawater in his mouth. He moved to sit up right but he regretted that action quickly once the sharp pain from his chest ached. He forgot how a wedged knife stabbed him before he called out for his father and feel asleep._

"_Don't move around too much," a soft voice advised him, "your wound will reopen."_

_The first place that Sesshoumaru looked once his eyes opened was his stomach. His shirt was lost, but replaced with a bloody beach towel that was acting as a bandage. Then he looked at the woman who was addressing her. It was a little girl, probably one or two years younger then him. She didn't look the other girls he was use to seeing either. Instead of a cute pink tank top with an animal on it that matched a short skirt she was wearing a dirty brown long sleeved dress. She looked like one of those homeless children that were often seen on the streets near his home._

"_Everyone I know addresses me by my name wench," Sesshoumaru barked at the young girl, "and you will call me Master Sesshoumaru."_

_The girl then grew a frown as another child appeared. One who seemed to be more his age. She just smirked at him._

"_That is no way to treat the girl who saved your life," she told him, "if she hadn't been listening to me then she would have never found you near the wood bleeding."_

"_You saved me?" Sesshoumaru demanded that the younger girl answer the question._

"_I just found you injured under the driftwood," she explained, "it was Kikyo who cleaned your wounds."_

"_I want to be a doctor one day," the older girl replied happily, "and like I said we never would have found you if my cousin here wouldn't have thought to look into the drift wood."_

_Sesshoumaru's gold eyes studied the girl for a moment, "then I didn't mean to be so rough. I owe you my life."_

"_You sound weird," the girl's older cousin said as she went back to some kind of small sand structure, "we would have got you real help but our parents don't like it when we bring in outsiders. They probably would have thrown you back out to sea. So you are going to have to stick with that till you get somewhere better."_

_The boy tried to stand once more, "my father is looking for me."_

"_Then you should stay with us," the girl who saved his life told him, "my grandma always says that if someone is looking for you its best to stay where you are because you might go somewhere that they have already checked and won't check again. Besides you might get hurt again."_

"_Then can I help you two with whatever your doing?"_

"_You want to help with our sandcastle? Okay."_

"There was the girl who saved me," Sesshoumaru said to himself while thinking about the memory, "I can't remember what she looked like or what was her name, but I remember her cousin. Her name was- yes it was Kikyo."

_"This will take awhile," Kikyo sighed once she saw half of their caste collapse._

"_You need more sand on the bottom," Sesshoumaru replied while taking a bucket and making a tower._

_Kikyo's younger cousin just watched them while looking at all the goodies she collected on the shore. All she could ever really do was decorate the castle once it was done. She was too young to know anything about actually building them._

"_I can't wait till I am old enough to go swimming."_

"_The waves would suck us right up," Kikyo noted while working on the top of the castle since Sesshoumaru had the bottom._

"_I don't worry about that at home," he said to them, "we have like three swimming pools back at home."_

"_Pool?" _

"_I know what your talking about," Kikyo responded, "something that has water in the ground that you swim in. No one has one of those around here. Just ponds for fishing."_

_Sesshoumaru looked at the ocean, "why doesn't anyone swim there right now, is it because of the storm."_

_Kikyo shook her head as she built another castle, "its because no one wants to end up like me and Kagome's great great great grandmother Midoriko."_

"_My grandma's name is Destiny," the small girl told her cousin dumbly._

"_Yes but her mom is our great grandma and Midoriko is her grandma's great great grandma. I am not going to explain it to you stupid, but we are related to her and people don't like her so no one speaks of her."_

_Sesshoumaru seemed to become interested by the story, "why doesn't anyone like here."_

"_Because everyone thinks she is crazy, but she is really not. At least that's what our family thinks. The story gets passed down from child to child, are you mature enough to hear it cousin?"_

"_If you are then I am."_

"_Very well. Midoriko was on a ship that was heading for this island because settlers have heard of the soil, but unfortunately her ship got caught in a storm. She was already an orphan so the death of her foster parents didn't bother her much, but she had to fear for her own life, especially after the waves pushed her under the water. Then all of a sudden she emerged from the water and found some kind of underwater cave. It was great that she was still alive, but it looked as though she would strave or freeze to death because there was no way to get out of the cave and back to the surface."_

"_But if she is our grandma then she must have lived or we wouldn't be alive, would we?" the young girl asked._

_Kikyo continued, "well of course stupid. Anyways she thought she was done for until she found out that a few of the boxes from the boat came into the cave with her and they were packed up so water couldn't get into them so she got clean clothes. Food was still an issue until she seen hands emerge from under the water and drop some oysters next to her for food."_

"_I thought you said that everyone on the ship was killed," Sesshoumaru thought about what she said for a second._

"_I didn't say a crew member gave her food, now did I? That was what Midoriko thought though until the body emerged and she saw it's skin was blue while it had a tail fin instead of legs."_

"_Oh," replied the boy, "so it was a mermaid? I didn't think they existed."_

"_And now you know why everyone had thought Midoriko had gone crazy. Anyways the mermaids continued to do this so she stayed alive, they even found her more cases with clothes. She couldn't talk to them though for they spoke some kind of odd language."_

"_How did she ever get home?" _

"_Well after about a few weeks of this treatment she tried to ask them for help so she could get to the island where everyone she knew was, but like I said they didn't speak the language so in one day while being home sick she sung many of the songs her real mother told her before passing away, but the one day while singing a certain song the mermaids had some kind of strange reaction. A reaction as though they were listening and knew exactly what she wanted."_

"_What song?"_

"_I don't know, no one can remember because the story is so old. The mermaids somehow knew the song though and finally one of them sang the song back to her. Once again I don't know how but Midoriko understood the lyrics in a whole new way just like the mermaids understood it when she sang. After the song she held her breath and climbed on to the mermaid's back and within a matter of seconds she was taken home where she told her tale and was quickly deemed insane."_

That was as far as Sesshoumaru could remember. Eventually his father found him, he got his injury checked out, and then he was punished by a fierce spanking. He didn't understand why he could remember that story out of everything in his child hood.

* * *

_"What are you doing?"_ Shippou asked curiously as he saw her hands travel on the glass that separated their tanks.

_"This glass is different from the glass in the front of the tank,"_ Kagome announced, _"It looks as though Naraku didn't install unbreakable glass on your aquarium."_

_"So?"_ the child asked as she swam back to the coral rock.

_"So,"_ Kagome continued as she started to push the rock forward with all her strength so she could get it to budge, _"the glass on my tank will just stay still while yours would shatter. I am going to escape."_

_"Oh I see, so you are going to break our glass so you can swim through and go to the lagoon,"_ Shippou figured out, _"what about Naraku though? If he finds out your not here he will just search the lagoon and have you put in a better tank."_

_"Naraku seems to only come at night,"_ Kagome continued to push the rock forward so it was right up against the dolphin exhibit, _"so if I can't figure out anything by then I will come back and just put this rock against the hole so he won't notice."_

_"Just be careful Kagome."_

Kagome's muscles strained as she swam up while using her skinny arms to lift the rock and swing it forward towards the glass, _"don't worry."_

The two then watched as the glass shattered and a small hole the size of the rock was created. Kagome smiled in triumph as she pushed her weapon aside. Her plan was a simple one. Go through the dolphin tank, get to this lagoon, seek out some type of human and get help all before Naraku noticed she was gone.

_"Okay here I go,"_ the mermaid smirked as she swam forward.

Kagome could clearly hear Shippou clicking something to her, but she ignored it. She would simply ask him to repeat it once she got up close to him. The mermaid then regretted ignoring him. Shippou was trying to get a warning. A warning about the sharp glass shards that scratched her back causing a burst of bubbles to erupt from her mouth. Kagome watched as blood danced around her and pain went through her.

(End Chapter 5)

* * *

**AN: Yeah that was a pretty stupid ending. I mean there was no cliffhanger no surprise. Kagome was just stupid and got cut, but I am too tired to continue writing for today. This chapter isn't looking good. I must revise it…no Corlee must revise it!**

**Inukamisashi: And I keep getting faster!**

**rachael the inukag fan: What juicy parts?**

**Skitzoflame: No Naraku has a private island while Kagome grew up on an island that seemed to be inhabited by Amish people.**


	6. An Escape and a Guardian

Chapter 6

An Escape and a Guardian

_"Kagome what the hell!" the five-year-old was quickly startled by the booming voice of her grandpa Hiten, "mass starts in twenty minutes and you are still wearing your bed clothes!"_

_Kagome looked at her uncle quickly once he approached. He was nicely dressed and had his shoes polished while her hair was a mess along with her old torn nightgown. This was the first time Kagome had ever not been ready in time for church, but for once she had a good reason._

_"Grandpa!" Kagome told him right away with eyes full of tears, "Grandma Destiny is sick!"_

_Destiny's coughs were clearly heard as Kagome spoke. Her grandma had been sick a lot lately, but not as bad as it had been right now and last night. The young girl stayed by her grandma's side sick with worry hoping her parental guardian would get the energy to eat and eventually have her fever go down as well._

_"I know Kagome," Hiten told her softly before snatching her arm, "I had the doctor come by and there is nothing we can do but go to church and pray for her recovery."_

_Kagome didn't budge too easily though, "but Grandpa! Who will take care of grandma while we are gone?"_

_"Our lord will," Hiten snapped trying to drag her._

_"Hiten I am on my deathbed," then came an ill whisper from Destiny._

_Kagome quickly got out of her grandfather's grip and rushed towards the bed happy that her grandmother was finally speaking again, "what is a deathbed grandma? Are you feeling better?"_

_Destiny's attention was still on her husband, "Hiten my last wish I shall make here on earth is for you to go ahead and enjoy the mass while I can have a few last words with my grandchild."_

_He was about to protest once more, but then he shut his mouth and silenced himself before giving a respectful nod, "I shall leave her with you then until you pass over. I love you my dear Destiny, I will grant your wish and say it now just incase I don't get back in time."_

_"I love you as well husband," the old woman replied in a silent voice, "now go before you are late to service."_

_Hiten then left leaving only Kagome in the house with her dying grandmother. The young child was unaware of what was going on though. No one had ever told her that when someone gets old enough they eventually pass away._

_"Grandma what's wrong with you?" Kagome dared to ask._

_Destiny just shook her head, "don't mind me child, its you I am worried about. Kagome do you know who Midoriko is?"_

_It took Kagome a little while to remember, "I believe Kikyo told me about her once. She was a woman who was related to us and then she met mermaids."_

_"Oh good so you do know," Destiny replied with a smile after a coughing fit, "but do you know the song?"_

_"The song?" the girl asked curiously._

_"The song Midoriko sung. The song that she used to communicate with the mermaids."_

_"Kikyo told me no one knew what the song was."_

_"I do, and its time that you have learned it."_

_"Why now?"_

_"Kagome I am dying. I won't live past this afternoon and it's important that the song gets passed on to you. You might need it one day."_

_This news came as a shock to Kagome, "no grandma stop talking. Save your strength so you can get better."_

_"Kagome I am not going to get better. My time is finally up so you must hear the song now."_

_The girl's eyes began to spill out tears, "no grandma I don't want to hear a song! I just want you to stay with me."_

_"I will always be with you child, just like your mother is with you today. I will live within you, but just because I am inside you doesn't mean you will get my knowledge. That's why I must tell you the song now."_

_Kagome calmed down a bit knowing that she should do has her grandpa did and give Destiny whatever she wanted. The old woman held on to her granddaughter's hand as she felt herself sleeping from the earth, but Destiny knew she had all the time she needed. Time would not go on without her until the song was passed on to Kagome._

_"Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing," she sung, "onward the sailor's cry. Carry the lad that's born to be king, over the sea to sky."_

_Kagome looked up at her grandmother trying to remember every single word that the old woman sung, "loud the waves roar, loud the winds howl, thunder clouds fill the air. Baffled our foes stand on the shore, follow they will not dare. Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wind, onward the sailors cry. Carry the lad that's born to be king, over the sea to sky."_

_Destiny's voice then disappeared from Kagome's ears, "grandma? Grandma!"_

* * *

"I hope I can patch up this wound," a soft male voice teased Kagome's ears as she started to awaken, "the salt water touching it won't feel pretty my little mermaid."

The first thing Kagome noticed when her vision focused was she was on a beach with the water smashing against her tail fin. Her tail was laying the water while someone held her body up in strong arms. A little far out in the water was a small dolphin that Kagome realized was Shippou.

"She is waking up," he announced.

"What happened?" Kagome asked the dolphin.

Shippou couldn't get that close to Kagome seeing as how she was in very shallow water, "you scratched your back against the glass when you tried to escape. I didn't want to leave you there for Naraku to find so I brought you up here to the island for help."

"Luckily he did," came the voice of stranger who was holding her, "or you probably would have never returned to me."

The man was sitting in the water and had Kagome laying on his lap so he could treat the injuries with some kind of crème, "return to you? Who are you?"

The arms pushed her to the side so she could sit in the water next to him. Kagome finally got a look at her savior. His hair was long and black, deep brown eyes, and the only clothing he was wearing was some red pants.

"Its me Kikyo," the man said with a very concerned look on his face, "don't you remember?"

Kagome shook her head, "Kikyo? I don't know whom you are talking about. The only Kikyo I ever knew was a relative. My name is Kagome."

"Inuyasha, Kagome is Naraku's new mermaid," Shippou clicked.

The man sighed, "yeah. When I think about it her hair is different and so is her face. I guess Kikyo is really dead."

"Who exactly is Kikyo?" Kagome asked the two.

The man looked at her again, "another one of Naraku's mermaids. I bet that bastard already ate her flesh. I am going to pull all of his organs out when I get the chance."

Shippou quickly explained, "Kikyo always did the exact same thing you did. She had an escape route to the island and since she always came here to get away from Naraku her and Inuyasha fell in love."

That made Inuyasha frown more, "yeah well she is dead now. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Well thank you for taking care of my wound," Kagome told him.

"Feh," Inuyasha crossed his arms, "what kind of stupid mermaid are you? Letting your back scratch against broken glass?"

"I was in a hurry!" Kagome yelled at him before realizing something, "wait a minute, I just talked without using my mind. I just talked without using my mind!"

Inuyasha looked at her with an annoyed look on his face, "yeah, usually you can do that when you have use of your mouth."

"What are you going to do now Kagome?" Shippou asked.

The mermaid's thoughts then went back to reality, "I am still not sure Shippou. I need to get away from this island so I will be free and I can report Naraku to free all of you."

Shippou smiled but Inuyasha just stood up, "stupid girl. So what if Naraku gets sent to court? It's already happened once and his high priced lawyers got him out, and even if he spent his life in jail what would be done with you two? Shippou's body has morphed into one of a dolphin and I don't think there is a way to undo it…and if no one can cure a dolphin then no one can take care of a mermaid."

Kagome then noticed Shippou frown and decided to lighten the mood, "turning us into animals should be impossible, but its not. Maybe there is just a way to reverse it so we can become human again. And even if there is no way to change back then at least Naraku will never be able to do this to anyone ever again. Speaking of which why haven't you tried reporting Naraku. You seem normal enough?"

"Leave the island? I don't think so."

"Why not? Even if I don't get a cure I would like to leave to get away from that Naraku."

"Feh, once more you prove yourself to be even more stupid. I am not here because I can't get to anyone else off the island; I am here to stay away from them. You and me are freaks so we should be isolated from everyone else."

"Well I wasn't always a freak and I hope to go back to that old lifestyle."

"Is that what you think would happen? What if there is no cure? You would probably be studied by scientist and put on display, then eventually when you die people will be paying billions for your scales so they can have a longer life."

Inuyasha stood up and Kagome wished she could do the same, but her tail kept her down, "why do you have to be so dark about things? That might happen and it might not. You could have freed everyone on this island, but instead you just sit around here all day. And you're not even a freak you look like a normal human to me. You even have legs."

"I have legs because Naraku only deals with sea creatures," he explained looking back at her, "it was Naraku's father who had his way with me. I was just innocently wandering around here one day on one of my father's business deals and some old geezer grabbed me and injected me with something. I thought I was just fine as well, but then night time fell and I found out I was wrong."

"So you change at night?"

He answered with a nod, "Into a blood thirsty monster. It turns out Naraku specializes in marine creatures while his father worked on strange land creatures. The forest on this island is full of them."

"You are not a monster," Shippou interrupted, "you're the guardian. You stop the forest monsters from harming us."

Kagome remembered Shippou telling her about his protector earlier, "you're the guardian? I am assuming that since you don't look a thing like Shippou's description you only guard at night?"

"I helped you out didn't I?" Inuyasha asked, "keep your back out of the water for about an hour so the solution I gave you will work. There wasn't much I could do though, your back is going to hurt for the next few days."

"I will live," Kagome replied, "but I need to figure out what to do."

"I could always pick you up and throw you in the ocean."

"Yeah, but then what? I have a hard enough time finding a mall in a different town, how am I ever suppose to find my way home in a huge ocean?"

He shrugged, "all I know is that I am not leaving. If I did the land creatures would have animals like Shippou for breakfast."

"Inuyasha, how long have you been here?"

"Ever since I was really little."

"Don't you miss your family?"

"They are the reason I refuse to show my face."

Kagome looked at him curiously, "what do you mean?"

"Well when I got lost it was after my older brother yelled at me. He is my half brother and he never liked the fact that his father remarried and had a child with my mother. I know that if my brother found out I turned into a monster he would tell father and convince him to send me off."

"Well I would say you were sent off. You're here and your family isn't."

"I don't feel betrayed this way though, now do I? And besides, anywhere I go will be miserable if Kikyo isn't there with me. I don't plan on ever leaving. This is my home now."

"If it helps I had a cousin named Kikyo. Me and her weren't that close, but I feel horrible because I was told that she was lost at sea and once I told her that I wished that would one day happen to her."

Inuyasha sat back down next her, "still you weren't close though, I was in love and I lost her to that bastard. I will never find another mermaid or human who was like Kikyo Yamada."

Kagome gasped, "Yamada? That was her last name?"

"Whose last name?" Inuyasha dared to ask.

"My cousin's! When I heard Kikyo got lost at sea Naraku must have done the exact same thing to her that he did to me!"

Inuyasha didn't really know what to say, "ironic isn't?"

"I have to make sure something bad happens to Naraku. I have to do it to avenge Kikyo."

"If anyone is going to be avenging Kikyo it will be me!" he snapped standing up once more as he watched the sun disappear in the sky, "and I am not going to do it by calling the police. I plan to do it with my own hands. He doesn't deserve to live."

Kagome looked up at him, "if you have the power then why haven't you done it before?"

A growl erupted from Inuyasha's throat, "Naraku isn't exactly human himself. He has done experiments on himself as well."

The mermaid wasn't listening to what Inuyasha was saying. Instead she was watching his body and how it started to change. His fingernails grew out into claws; his hair went from pitch black to silver, his eyes changed into a familiar shade of gold similar to Sesshoumaru's, and to top it all off his ears disappeared and a pair of dog ears popped out of the top of his head.

"Inuyasha has changed," Shippou told her.

"Yeah Onigumo has really screwed me up," the dog version of Inuyasha said as he walked out further into the water, "Kagome you should come up more often. You could lead Naraku here into my claws."

"No," Kagome replied, "I think we should let the police figure it out. Then they will find out the truth. If you just kill Naraku then no one will ever believe me and I won't be able to get back to my family."

"Stupid girl. You will probably never see them again no matter what. No one will ever understand what has become of us."

"Why are you so negative?"

"I am just giving you the truth, now sit there for awhile so the solution can kick in before you go back to your tank. I am not ready for Naraku to come out here looking for you yet. I need to go around the island."

Kagome watched as she splashed the water with her tailfin, "whatever then. I think I will take my chances and go back now. I can't go anywhere else except salt water so I might as well get use to the pain I am going to feel."

"Feh. Suit yourself."

"Those injuries look bad Kagome," Shippou clicked.

The mermaid ran her fingers over the injury on her back, "I have had worse."

* * *

"_Grandma," Kagome cried after a small funeral in front of Destiny's grave._

_Next to her stood her grandfather who was having a discussion with the preacher, "can't you make an exception father?"_

_The man shook his head, "I am sorry, but Zita left the island. I can not have her grave here."_

"_Its my family though," Hiten said with a bit of fury in his voice, "Destiny loved her daughter and I feel as though its only right the two be buried next to each other."_

"_I am sorry, but the church will not allow it."_

_He frowned, "you have disappointed me priest, come along Kagome we must go into town now."_

"_But grandpa I want grandma to come back!" Kagome cried as her grandfather yanked her off the ground with his arm._

"_I miss your grandmother too Kagome, but she is dead," Hiten told her as he put his hand on his granddaughter's shoulder, "She is not coming back. We shall pray that her soul arrived into the heavens with no problems after we make a trip to the grocery store."_

_Kagome looked up at her grandfather with a newfound respect. He had never spoken to her with this kind of softness in his voice. Usually he just yelled at her and told her to do household chores like a woman was meant too. Somehow Destiny's death had hurt him and changed him. Maybe changed him for the better. It looked as though Kagome would finally have someone to talk to and bond with just as she had done with her grandmother._

_After a small walk from the graveyard to the village they had entered the local grocery store. Since they lived on a farm they only stepped in this place once a month and it was always for the same items. The small girl watched as Hiten got the usual things Destiny bought. Seasonings to put on the meat, seed for the bird house, a barrel of food for the livestock, and dry noodles. Kagome's grandfather then surprised her; he added a few more items to the usual inventory. A crate of whisky, it was surprising because Kagome had known her grandfather to always rant about people who drank._

"_Grandpa what's that?" Kagome asked._

"_Nothing you should be concerned with," he responded as he put another case in the cart, "just something to help your grandpa out with his loss. Here, how would you like some soda pop?"_

"_You and grandma never let me have soda before," she noted._

"_Well things are changing," he said as he put in a crate of grape soda pop in the cart with a third case of whisky, "lets check out now Kagome."_

_Things then started to change around the house. Hiten never asked anything of his granddaughter lately, not even to do any type of chore, but she did it anyways just to keep the house clean. Things stayed this way until one night._

"_Kagome where in the hell are you!" yelled Hiten on a stormy night as he marched into the house._

"_Right here grandfather," the small girl squeaked never hearing her grandfather sound so angered._

_He then started to make an eerie chuckle, "guess what happened today Kagome. They all quit on me. Yep all my hired help, they quit because I can't afford to pay them anymore."_

"_Grandpa?" she questioned._

"_I can't afford anything anymore. All the animals are being sold, but that's okay because I don't need them anymore. We will be all right. Kagome do you know what I can do without having all those animals and vegetables to care for?"_

"_What grandfather? Why are you laughing?"_

"_I am free Kagome. Free from working. I can do whatever in the hell I want."_

_Hiten then came up closer to her before grabbing Kagome by the throat and holding her up against the wall, "I can do whatever I want Kagome."_

_Kagome tried to kick her grandfather off of her as her nose inhaled the whisky on his breath, "G-grandpa. Let go. I can't breath."_

_His laughing then filled her ears, "I told you I don't have to Kagome. I am free."_

_Finally she was dropped on the floor, "grandpa, please stop."_

_Hiten just yanked her hair as he leaned in closer to his granddaughter's ear, "no Kagome I won't. You see that night when I first met you your father gave you to me. So you're mine you hear? You're my object and I will treat you however I want, and right now you are to be punished. It's your fault my wife died! Here that Kagome its all your fault? She was just fine till you came along so you will pay the price."_

"_Grandpa!" Kagome cried as she watched him remove his belt._

_The only things Hiten paid attention to from her from that point on was Kagome's painful screams as his belt struck her. He continued to beat her until there were many bloody cuts on her back. After beating her he eventually passed out on the couch where he woke up the next morning, drank, and then beat his granddaughter again. This had now become the daily routine._

_(End Chapter 6)_

* * *

**AN: Hey here is another chapter for you, I would have had this story done by now, but I knew I would have people killing me if I didn't update Teen Blues…oh and I am sorry I didn't answer many reviews, I got an email saying that we weren't allowed to anymore. Can anyone verify if this is true or not?**

**Demoness of the Black Wolves: You should no better then ask two things of me. You asked for Inuyasha and then you asked for more Sesshoumaru time. Well you got your Inuyasha, but no Sesshoumaru for you!**

**MySesshou:**** Good question. Shippou can hear her no matter where he is because her physic talk reaches all the sea creatures.**


	7. A Note

For those of you who read my fiction Teen Blues you already know I am in a position where I can not continue most fanfics. My mother believes I have somehow destroyed her computer by writing fanfics, even though she clearly seen my brother downloading porn every chance he got! Anyways the computer is fixed, but once she pays for internet connection she won't let me on anymore…so this could be the end of my fan fiction career. Marriage of Convenience, along with My Mermaid might have a chance though. They might make it on the internet, very very slowly. I wrote chapter 20 of this fic last night, but then I found out the floppy drive is broke on my mom's computer so I am going to have to wait til next weekend to use my dad's computer. I know I could by one of those memory holders, but due to a $392.00 phone bill (Verzion Wireless is the devil, but now I have Cenntinal Wireless) I won't have money for awhile…so maybe I can get one for my birthday, but by then I probably won't be able to get on my mom's computer…and some kid told me he would fix my laptop and instead he stole it…and omg its just one problem after another. Kami doesn't want me to write fanfics anymore, but hey as Romeo once said "I defy you stars!" I will try to work on MOC and MM just because I know where there going and I will honestly die if they don't get completed.

So what I am saying is the latest you should have this damn chapter 20 should be here by Monday after next (with probably other chapters depending on whether my ONE rewritable cd will cooperate with me or not). Sorry for this inconvience but there is only so much I can do. So unless you want to adopt me and give me my own computer with internet the only way you can help me is by giving me some support. My mail box is always open and hey I got a good cell phone with unlimited text messages now so please text message me because I am super bored. The cell phone number is 1-260-519-1384…and hey if you live in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, or Illinois you can even call me If you want…I don't care because I am super bored, but if I don't get one text message I swear I will beat you all.

Anyways that is all I have to report. Chow.


	8. A Guardian and a Dream

Chapter 7

A Guardian and a Dream

Kagome, who had returned to her tank more carefully, floated in the water with her eyes closed keeping her head down. Her tail fin flicked a few times beside her, but not enough to ruin her calm look.

"This is more like it," Naraku whispered to himself as he looked inside of his personal aquarium to see his creation, "graceful and calm like a mermaid should be."

Giving her captor what he wanted Kagome opened her eyes half way, gave him a small smile, and then returned to her pose. Smiling at the man who had done so many horrible things pained Kagome, but if she was doing something that displeased him his mind would be else where and maybe notice one of the rocks were out of place since it was being used to block a hole, or he might see the scratches on the mermaid's back.

"Good job Kagome," he said again after a few more minutes of complete silence as her machine was switched on, "now has your attitude changed?"

"_Yes Naraku," _Kagome was trying hard to focus her thoughts and not let her anger seep through_, "being with you isn't so bad. You take care of me and I don't have to worry about anything ever again."_

"That's why I live here. Father was once a political science professor, but when the cash started rolling in he came here, because he thought of it all as an escape from the world, his faith in this place is unlike yours though. I would suspect a marine creature would rather be fed and on display then in the dangerous ocean."

Kagome almost lost control, but her thoughts about spending her days away from him on the island with Shippou and Inuyasha made her contain a few choice words. He kept referring to her as though she were something he discovered in the ocean, not teenage girl. It seemed as though he was having some kind of strange role-play in his head about having a real mermaid, or was there more to this? Not wanting to make him angry Kagome decided she would have to get information from someone else.

"_It's safer with you."_

"Good girl. I think I am going to give you a gift, and there will be plenty more if you continue to please me like this."

Kagome tried to think about how a pleased mermaid would act towards a master who was going to give her a gift instead of a poor girl being tortured by a mad man, "I will be good everyday then Naraku. I like gifts."

He wore a smirk that made the mermaid's scales stand on end a bit, "I will make sure you get a lot more my dear, but I have to open your tank to give it you, and I can't trust you yet to know you won't escape."

"_I wouldn't dare Naraku."_

"I know, but this is just a precaution."

Kagome's mind at the moment was racing over the fact that if something was going to take place in her cage her escape might be recognized, but her thoughts were silent when there was a change in her water, and whatever it was that was pumped into her tank it lulled her to sleep.

Sesshoumaru had a scowl on his face when he got out of bed early in the morning to check on what would soon become his mermaid, but she was sleeping. This was a bit difficult for the man to handle, because never once when he needed to see someone were they unavailable, so it coming from a girl with a fin was unacceptable.

"Girl," Sesshoumaru said lightly as he went over to the tank and tapped on the glass and still she stayed asleep.

Sesshoumaru didn't know how to go about this, because never had he ever had to wake anybody else before. He himself never needed to be awoken either, because being the good child he was he always awoke with an alarm clock.

"Girl," he repeated again knocking, "are you ill?"

"_I can't keep my eyes open," _the mermaid moaned painfully_, "Naraku put something in my water to make me fall asleep."_

"You have been like this for awhile. For if you are speaking then it seems to be wearing off," Sesshoumaru noted, "I would expect you wouldn't stay asleep when I command otherwise."

That had Kagome's eyes opening up wide, _"Who in the hell are you to give me commands?"_

"The one who is going to free you from Naraku's grasp."

Kagome couldn't believe her ears, so she had to swim forward and hit her head against the glass to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The man with the beautiful eyes was going to help her!

"_I knew someone would save me,"_ Kagome smiled, _"that will show Inuyasha who has the brain around here."_

Sesshoumaru was on the verge of shattering the mermaid's smile by telling her that he was going to take her to sell her, and if the organization she was being sold to decided to keep her as was it was no business of his. The sad thing was he had been looking forward to crushing her one moment of happiness since being locked up. Just the look of utter disappointment would have made his latest business transaction seem more stimulating, but she saved herself the moment by mentioning a familiar name.

"That name," Sesshoumaru spoke calmly, "where have you heard it?"

"_Inuyasha?"_

"Yes, that name."

"_Well when I thought that you were abandoning me and Shippou told me about the island that his tank is attached to I broke through his and went there. It seems Menomaru made all these weird creatures and things up there, and Inuyasha is one of them. He is normal by day, but changes at night."_

"Inuyasha is my younger half brother. He was lost here when we were younger, and not a trace of him was found. Not a trace of him, or any strange creatures. Your story is one that a drunk old woman would make up."

"_I am not making this up! Why don't you ever believe me? First you thought I was a hologram, which I am not, and now you assume I am a lying drunk."_

"Like I said there are no such things as strange creatures, and even if there were a search party inhabited this place for days looking for Inuyasha, and if there were monsters they would have found one of those first."

"_Did they check the lagoon?"_

"There is no lagoon on this island, or any body of water except for the ocean surrounding it. All the trees are cared for by gardeners."

"_Your wrong about that! If only you could talk to Shippou, he would tell you. There is a lagoon up there and that's where Inuyasha is."_

"Again with the talking dolphin?"

"_Oh shut up!"_

Kagome swam behind one of the rocks in the tank and closed her eyes before she began to cry again. Why would this idiot believe her! For everything she told him he had a reason it could not be true, and it was just so upsetting in a situation like this, so she would do the same.

"_I would say I am a strange creature,"_ Kagome rubbed her eyes that were red from crying, _"wouldn't you."_

He just turned away, "you are science. There is a difference."

"_So you don't believe in mermaids?"_

There was an awkward silence from him, "I try not too."

"_So you do believe?"_

"No, I do not. What is that by the way?"

The conversation Kagome had been having with Sesshoumaru made her forget about what was different in her aquarium. On the colorful rocks on the other side there was a small castle statue installed. Just like the kind Kagome had in her fish tank at home.

"_That idiot! He said he was going to give me a gift, and with his sick humor about this whole thing he gave me a castle. I would like to stick it up his nose!"_

"That's not the only gift he gave you. Look what he has adorned upon your chest."

The mermaid gave him a questioning look before doing as he said. This whole time that she had been floating in the glass prison she had been wearing the bikini top she had on the cruise ship, but now she could see it was replaced. Now she wore something made out of authentic clam shells, and since they were small all of her breast except her nipples were revealed.

Sesshoumaru heard nothing from her, meaning there were so many angry thought zooming through her head at the moment nothing could get through clearly, and he would imagine.

"I will leave you to enjoy your lovely gifts while I return upstairs," he left quick enough that he didn't have to hear her ask how he was going to rescue her.

- - -

A day had gone by and Sesshoumaru hadn't returned to the mermaid. Kagura had grown a bit too suspicious of him always never being around when she chose to look for him, so it was better to be in his room pretending to do work like she predicted he would be when she entered and bothered him about dinner.

After finding a sandwich in the kitchen to keep his stomach content Sesshoumaru laid on the bed and looked out the window. If there was one thing he hated it was having a flaw in his character that he himself recognized. The turmoil he was dealing with now would be that he was a hypocrite, because he said there was no such things as strange creatures, when indeed he had seen one before.

"_The poor dear," Izoyai said to herself as she looked down at her newly acquired step son._

"_It's been months," Sesshoumaru growled as he had his text book and completed homework sprawled out on the INN floor, "it's healed."_

"_It has, but there is a scar on your tummy now," she pointed out while attempting to poke Sesshoumaru's stomach, but he smacked her hand away._

"_Sesshoumaru," his father barked as he emerged from the bathroom, "you are not to disrespect your step-mom in such a way again, or I will tan your hide so fast-_

"_He is fine," Izoyai stood up with a sigh, "I am not his mother, so you can't expect him to like me."_

"_I want him to show you some respect at the very least."_

"_I can't show respect for a whore," the child responded._

"_Silence Sesshoumaru! You will apologize to her at once, and never, and I mean never, use that word again! Do you understand?"_

"_Where did you learn that word hun?" Izoyai put on a concerned motherly voice._

"_A whore is a woman who gets a man by sleeping with him, and you were quick enough to be with her after mom died, so I guess the sex is the reason why."_

"_Sesshoumaru! Stand still, because I am going to beat you so-_

"_Inutashio leave him alone. He misses his mom and he is hurting. This is not the time to punishing him."_

"_I will not have him insulting you anymore."_

"_I don't miss her," Sesshoumaru declared standing up, "I hate my mother. She left me with a whore and a sorry excuse for a father. I am going outside."_

_The two were so shocked by the eight-year-olds words that they stood there in a daze as he made his leave. Sesshoumaru didn't know what sex was, but he was glad he finally found a word that would hurt the dreadful woman. Who would have known anyone could find such a helpful word in the W section of the dictionary._

_Normally Sesshoumaru would have ignored his step-mom and carried on double checking his reading homework, but the fact that he was on this stupid island again fueled annoyance. The place was nothing but farmland, but yet Izoyai seemed interested in it. If only he could have stayed home with his stuff, but his father wanted the family to bond somewhere without technology while his wife worked._

"_How dare she even comment on this," the boy lay his hand on top of the scar he got on this very island months ago, "it's her fault."_

_He waited for his father to come after him, but then crying was heard from the INN, "Inuyasha…"_

_Things had only gone from bad to worse when Inuyasha was born. His father spent a lot of time next to his expensive crib with his whore talking about how great the baby was going to be. They even played Mozart music for Inuyasha so he would become a genius, something that was never done for Sesshoumaru._

_The boy cringed, because when he got away from Inuyasha's screaming he had to hear it again, but this time it came from a young girl who was crying next to the beach._

"_So it's you again," Sesshoumaru said when he remembered the girl from his last trip on Village Island, "why are you making such a noise?"_

_The little girl wiped her tears, "I have become a lurker."_

"_A what?"_

"_A lurker. It's a poor person that digs through trash on the beach for stuff worth money."_

"_Then get money from some place else."_

"_If I tried Grandpa Hiten would hurt me more."_

_Sesshoumaru studied the girl who was only a few years younger than him and noticed she was no longer the average little girl he saw awhile ago. Now she was a little girl shivering, dressed in rags, and had her arms and legs covered in red marks._

"_If you wish you can come with me to my father. He might be able to help you."_

"_If Grandpa sees me leaving the beach he will hurt me even more."_

"_Not if you get off of this island. My father can do so for he isn't crazy like everyone else here."_

"_Sorry, but I just can't! I have to get back to work now."_

"_Remind me of what your name is."_

"_Kagome, remember?"_

_The two children once again parted ways, and Sesshoumaru remembered why he was on the beach in the first place. That girl's reappearance almost tricked him into returning to his father. He would never respect that man again until that woman and Inuyasha disappeared from his life forever._

_Trying to suppress his anger Sesshoumaru picked up a stick and trailed it through the sand to keep himself occupied for about an hour before he heard a scream. He ran up to a sandy hill and looked down to see where the sound was coming from. There was Kagome, an old man beating on her with his belt, and something he had never seen before trapped in a net._

Sesshoumaru looked out his window to see Naraku's beach, "So destiny brings us back to an island?"

Others would be amazed with what was going on, but the business man was able to stay calm about it. The mermaid he had been talking to and plotting to sell since his arrival was the girl from all those years ago. That had to be the truth for the young girl named Kagome on Village Island was the same girl in the mermaid's dream, and the mermaid claimed that was her when she was younger. Sesshoumaru couldn't remember much about that girl except that his father got her away from her abusive grand father and sent her to the Higurashi household where she was adopted.

Though remembering the girl was hard Sesshoumaru didn't have a problem remembering the events that took place when he returned home and ate dinner with his father.

_Dinner went quiet as usual for the married couple had nothing interesting to say after calling each other over and over again during work and Sesshoumaru just wanted to fill his stomach and leave, but of course it was the whore who broke the ice._

"_I have taken all the money out of Village Island. Sesshoumaru you should rejoice. We never have to go there again."_

"_About time," Inutashio said when no reply came from his son, "not only is everyone there crazy with their damn religions, but I heard it hasn't rained there since we left."_

"_Those crazy villagers believe it's God punishing them for allowing that girl who was abused to leave, and letting her grandfather go mental and die."_

"_I have heard that girl is happy in her new home, so far, but we aren't free from islands yet. Naraku Senaka has some good ideas for our company, and he would like us to visit his island."_

"_I'm not in the mood for anymore business vacations at the moment. Maybe when Inuyasha is able to walk and talk. It's hard to have fun when he is always crying and needs fed."_

"_It will never rain on that island again, but not because of the old man or the girl."_

_The couples eye balls quickly went to Sesshoumaru who was talking at the dinner table for the first time ever since the marriage, "What was that son?"_

"_They won't be given rain," the boy explained, "the Gods don't believe they deserve it, after the mermaid was tortured on the land."_

"_Was this in a movie or something you saw dear?" Izoyai asked._

"_This happened on Village Island. The old man tried to capture a mermaid, and after me and that girl helped it back in the water the mermaid told the Water God."_

"_What are you talking about son?"_

"_The mermaid! Obviously if one of the Water God's creatures are harmed he won't show mercy."_

"_Have you become mental?"_

"_No I am sane. I saw a mermaid."_

"_Dear call the doctor," Inutashio stood up, "come here Sesshoumaru."_

"_Why does she need to call any doctor?"_

"_Something on that island must have made you sick, because you hallucinated."_

"_Hallucinated? I saw an actual mermaid, and so did the girl."_

_He was then smacked across the face, "there are no such things as mermaids son."_

- - -

"Stupid castle," Kagome sighed, "stupid bikini."

"Your stupid problems," Inuyasha muttered as he joined the mermaid on the beach, "so is that why you came up here again. To whine about what Naraku did now?"

"I need someone who will listen, and Shippou is busy eating."

"I had a dream last night."

"Talking about that seems unlike you."

"Shut up! If I have to hear about your little problems then you have to listen to me, but anyways I had a very interesting one that I will tell you, because maybe it will knock some sense into you. In the dream my dumbass brother finally looked behind all Naraku's stupid restricted fences and found me."

Kagome was about to open her mouth to tell Inuyasha that his older brother was here, but Inuyasha cut her off.

"It's my talk time, and I don't want to answer your barrage of questions that's coming. Anyways my brother found me, and of course he sent me to a lab to be tested on, and he didn't stop there. He actually sold you to some rich guy who did experiments on you."

"Inuy-

"Where I am going with this is that you should just enjoy life here."

"Inuy-

"Give up on hopes of escape, because in the end you will just wind up where you started."

"Inuyasha!"

"What?"

"Is your brother's name Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes, why? Did Naraku turn him into a mermaid too?"

"He is here on this island right now. When I told him that you were being kept around a hidden lagoon he didn't believe me."

Inuyasha's golden orbs held some concern, "Don't tell him anymore then that Kagome, please."

"Inuyasha, don't you want to go home?"

"I know it was just a dream, but I wouldn't put it past Sesshoumaru to send me away. I want to stay here where I am free god dammit, and he would sell you as well."

"He promised to save me."

"Did he actually say that?"

"Well no, he only said he would get me away from Naraku."

"Exactly. Now go back to your tank Kagome."

"You seem eager to get rid of me."

"If you really have been talking to Sesshoumaru then he might ask why you weren't in your tank. I don't want him to have anymore clues to me."

"He doesn't believe me, you are safe, but I am going back. I don't need Naraku thinking I am up to something after I put all that effort into tricking him."

He waved her a good bye as the mermaid went back into the water.

As Kagome swam she thought about Inuyasha's words. Would Sesshoumaru really sell her rather than set her free? He never said anything about helping her, just getting her away from Naraku. And what did she know about the man anyways? So if there was anyone she could trust it would have to be the guardian.

(End of Chapter)

AN: Yes I updated! Whahahaha


	9. A Dream and a Passion

Chapter 8

A Dream and a Passion

Sesshoumaru returned to the aquarium once again to find the mermaid sleeping, "How tiring can floating around in water be?"

Unlike last time Kagome remained on the gravel with her eyes closed and fin resting under her chin. Sesshoumaru took notice that she was in a deep sleep this time, and the only way he could awake her would be to knock on her glass, but there really was no need to wake her up just yet. He would let her rest a bit before telling her his intentions. He granted her that at least since she was indeed the girl from his past.

Sesshoumaru turned to leave, but his vision blurred. He no longer knew where he was going, so he tripped over one of the rugs and injured his knee. Shocked by his blindness and knowing he couldn't get back to his room in this state he rested his back against the wall and remained on the ground. Slowly his vision began to return, but he no longer saw the dark hallway illuminated by the lights of the tanks.

He was back in his bedroom in his home, thousands of miles away from Naraku's horrible island. It was easy to identify, because of the white carpet and the gray wallpaper, but there were a few changes. Sesshoumaru's dresser had been replaced with a large amour and there was a larger bed, and on that bed was a woman. It was Kagome Higurashi, and she sat on the edge of the bed looking at him with a smile. She was adorned in a silk nightgown that stopped at her ankles, because there was no longer a fish tail, but two attractive legs.

"You're finally home," the girl said as though she had been alone for a long time, "I missed you so much."

Sesshoumaru then saw himself enter the room and embrace Kagome. The two sat together on the bed and shared how their affairs had gone over the last week. Afterwards they began to hold each other and connect lips, but they ceased when the door opened and a young child entered. She appeared to be three or four, and her hair was long and silver like Sesshoumaru's while she had the same face and eyes as Kagome.

Eventually he put it together and figured he was seeing himself married to Kagome Higurashi, and together they had a child.

"Mommy," the girl sat next to Kagome, "am I going to have a baby brother or sister?"

"I don't know yet dear, but I think your father really wants to have a boy."

When the girl looked up at her father Sesshoumaru noticed he had changed. He was able to show the child some softness and altered his face in away to show that his attention was there for the females to take.

"Do you really want a boy more than me?"

"I love you and Rin, but you girls are a bit too much for me."

Kagome giggled, which sounded like a melody, "All boys do is rough house and destroy things."

"I did not when I was that age."

"Well get me some oil then, because you think I will be giving birth to a robot."

The girls began to laugh with one another, and Sesshoumaru just kept examining the image of himself. By the time there was laughing involved he usually took his leave, because it meant the conversation was no longer about business, but he was still there looking completely content.

"Murashu are you injured?"

When Sesshoumaru was able to see the present again he saw Naraku towering over him. The island's visitor quickly stood up on one leg and faced the man.

"I know that look in your eyes," Naraku turned around to face the mermaid and spoke quietly, "you saw the mermaid's dream, didn't you?"

"Her dream?"

"When the machine that let's you hear her thoughts was installed there was a problem, and now it shows dreams."

"Impossible, but then again I find on this island there is no such thing. I don't use the machine though."

"She talks to you without it?"

"That she does."

He chuckled, "So what did she show you?"

"I saw myself."

"So it was that kind of dream, was it? Sometimes you see the actual mermaid's dream, but other times she dreams what her observer desires more than anything. For you I bet you ruled the business empire surrounded in cash."

"And for you I bet that you are surrounded in cash. I know it isn't doing your experiments the way you to plan too, because this mermaid didn't come from the ocean. You did this to a human."

"That I did Sesshoumaru, but soon she will forget she was ever a human. The way she acts is just a phase for now. Notice she has been sleeping a lot more lately, that is because without mermaid friends all she can really do is sleep and look peaceful."

"I should report you."

"By the time the authorities get her I could hide the mermaid, but if I decided not to everyone would pile in this room at once to see the beautiful creature, and when all those eyes lay on her she will die."

"Explain yourself Naraku. This creature is your creation, but yet she has the same abilities and weaknesses that the real myth of the sea has. How is that possible?"

"You have seen a mermaid before, haven't you Sesshoumaru? Though you claimed they were fake after coming back from therapy I believed you."

Sesshoumaru simply nodded to Naraku's statement. He wouldn't reveal he was a bit happy with the fact that there was someone who believed him about the mermaid. The creature he saw though looked nothing like Kagome though. The thing was rather ugly if he remembered right. Its whole body was made of scales and it had webbed fingers.

"Though my mermaid looks like a Disney character I used the real DNA of a mermaid," Sesshoumaru gave Naraku a cold glare when he referred to Kagome as his, "of course I have to closely guard that information for real mermaids are extinct now. Sure I could have used the DNA to make immortal flesh and sell it, or make many replicas of the original mermaids and give the rights to scientist, but I find doing this to beautiful maidens much more delicious."

Sesshoumaru thought about not only making prophet with the mermaid, but using her scales to become immortal, but he quickly brushed that thought to the side. There was no reason to stay in this world for more than he needed too.

"That is why you haven't aged," Sesshoumaru noted, "but it is rather disgusting Naraku. To put young girls through this."

"I am ready to present the gill solution," Naraku seemed ready to end this debate, "and starting tonight the hidden door you found will also be locked. My mermaid is for my eyes only."

Naraku walked off and Sesshoumaru followed with a scowl, "My mermaid, not yours."

Kagome awoke awhile after the men left and the door was locked. She yawned causing bubbles to float towards the top of the tank. She had been falling asleep a lot, and she wasn't sure why.

"Naraku is totally on to you Kagome," Shippou clicked.

"What?" she asked gently a bit too tired to think.

"He found Sesshoumaru, and the hole in our tanks has been repaired. You can't see Inuyasha anymore."

"Naraku's a bastard," was Kagome's statement before her eyelids began to lower again.

"Kagome please don't fall asleep!" the dolphin urged, "what's wrong with you?"

"I don't know."

"Kikyo acted like this too for a bit, but she died shortly after."

"At this point I wouldn't care if I died Shippou."

Inuyasha's words were finally sinking into Kagome's hopeful skull. What if she was rescued? There was no cure on the market for a mermaid fin, so she would be sold off or used in experimenting. What made it worse is that it would be Sesshoumaru who would be doing so. How dare he connect with her and keep her company if he was just going to sell her down the river, no pun intended.

What Naraku was doing was horrible and sick, but as a mermaid he gave Kagome a simple life. He wanted her floating around a tank and acting as a decoration, but Sesshoumaru wanted to fill her life with torture. So the two were equal as far as they were concerned.

"Come on Kagome. That's Inuyasha talk for not having any good ideas at the moment."

"Inuyasha is right Shippou. There is no hope for us. Sesshoumaru wants to sell me, and he probably won't even think twice about actually helping me or my problems."

"I like it better when your hopeful."

"If you want to hear about something positive you wouldn't believe the dream I had. I was married to Sesshoumaru and we had children."

"Did Naraku drug your sea weed?"

Kagome gave an agreed laugh with Shippou, but she thought about the dream. She thought about Sesshoumaru's facial expression, because it was wonderful. He remained the graceful cold man he was, but at the same time was able to look at her in a way that showed she meant the world to him. Thinking about it gave her a great feeling she hadn't felt since before the bad news about Kouga's engagement.

- - -

Sesshoumaru went down the hallway in a silent rampage even pushing Kagura to the side and ignoring the other servants as he returned to his temporary room. He glanced at his laptop for a moment before punching the keyboard so hard it made a dent and the damn thing broke.

Never before had he been in a destructive manner, for that was something his young brother use to do before his disappearance, but he was angry. Angry with the mermaid for always sleeping, angry with Naraku for keeping him away from her and torturing her, and then angry with himself for giving a shit. She was money that was all she was suppose to be, but he cared now. Was it because of the dream?

Naraku had said Kagome dreamt what he privately desired, and she had done just that. A loving family that would give him attention and receive the same in return, and a wife who would wait for him and understand, that was what he had wanted. Knowing that with his money and so many gold digging sluts that hung around his family it would never happen, and if he were to ever marry it would be continue his blood line and nothing more.

The dream showed him a reality where Kagome Higurashi was the one who would give him that happiness, but then again of course it would be her in the dream for she was the one having it. Since all the bitch did anymore was sleep in his presence she could make herself useful by showing him what else he desired, but now Naraku insured he couldn't get back to her.

"Even if I have to break the lock," Sesshoumaru told himself, "that is my mermaid and my dream."

Sesshoumaru was uncertain if there was a way to reverse what had been done to Kagome, but since he already had all the bills in his wallet her needed perhaps he could be merciful to her and keep her rather then volunteering her for experiments. Business partners would be impressed with her in his collection, and he could see the dream again. Perhaps if he examined the dream he could list Kagome's the pros of the girl's personality and maybe that would assist him in finding the mother of his children.

There he was thinking about the dream again, why couldn't he forget about it? It was plaguing his thoughts so much he would give up his bank card to see a bit more of it at the moment. Then he remembered that if the mermaid was often falling asleep and their minds were connected he didn't have to be in front of her to see her dreams. He just needed to fall asleep.

That was easier said then done. Usually Sesshoumaru could just lay in bed and automatically fall asleep, but that's because he had been working so hard the hours before that he was too tired to waist precious seconds getting comfortable. He hadn't been working though, so he just lay there looking at the ceiling.

This was so foolish. He wanted to sleep just so he could see a vision of himself being happy, and it had the same feeling as a young child who wouldn't sleep on Christmas Eve to get a glimpse of Santa and presents.

Sesshoumaru got up and decided to soak in the bathroom. The warm water wasn't even relaxing him as it usually did, so afterwards he tried putting on the most comfortable sleeping attire he could find before attempting to sleep again. Still he was up tossing and turning.

"I need to see my mermaid," he sighed.

It was as though he was forgetting who he was. There was nothing going on his mind except the dream the floating beauty in the tank below.

It was then that he discovered a mini bar had been placed in his room to create the illusion of staying in a hotel. He went over and found a few assortments of vodka and other expensive liquors before he slammed the door shut. Using an empty cup from the bathroom he mixed the different drinks together and attempted to drink himself to sleep.

Finally the plan worked and he laid his head on the pillows in an intoxicated manner and was taken away by his dream. He was so deep into his sleep that Kagura demanding him to go eat dinner or the strange visitor with dog-ears who came in through the window and stole some liquor didn't even disturb him one bit.

(Inuyasha needs to party as well)

"You haven't dressed yet," Sesshoumaru's wife came out on to the balcony wearing a white robe.

"Neither are you," he gave her a small grin that disappeared, "worry about me not, I can dress in two minutes, but it's you who has only half an hour."

"You're right," the girl rushed back into the bedroom and dressed into a beautiful silk dress that fit her perfectly and showed off those attractive legs of hers.

"Well you probably had that planned in advanced after a week of rough decisions," he told her as he sat down on the bed, "but now you are going to whine about what kind of make up you what shoes will match your dress better."

"Sesshoumaru please don't mistake me as one of the other wives. I want to wear what pleases you, that's probably why I haven't suggested changing this wallpaper or carpet yet."

"Everything about you has pleased me lately Kagome. Though I married you when you were just coming out of childhood you have done your work well, and I am proud to call myself your husband. You managed our two daughters and now our baby, made sure to loose all your pregnancy wait to keep yourself fitting for our marriage bed, and now you can easily host a business party on short notice."

"I am happy as long as you are happy dear," she kissed him affectionately before putting on shoes and some make up, "good?"

"Perfect," he told her before once again kissing.

"I am going to see how the food is coming as you get changed," she held his hand tightly as though being separated for a few minute's time was going to be rough, but she separated and headed out, "I love you."

He gave no answer and she smiled before disappearing. Rather then observing himself with Kagome it was him who was being kissed and talking to her, as though he had been living this life for a while now.

This house seemed perfect now, his life seemed perfect, his children seemed perfect, and she was perfect. He didn't command her to do anything she just did it. It was also obvious that she loved him, but he didn't need to tell her anything. She understood that he wasn't the type to talk about what was going on his head, and she was okay with it. That wonderful smile of hers proved it.

He dressed in his fine clothes before descending his stairs and discovering that his wife was politely welcoming his guest and taking their coats and such. She gave her guest a warming smile as well, but it wasn't as heart taking as the one she gave him. She had a smile just for him, something no other women would give him.

After welcoming guest Kagome entertained a few of the ladies who had become separated from their husbands before joining him and taking hold of his hand.

"It's all perfect," he repeated as Kagome gave him a soft kiss, "as is our family."

"It's so funny to think about," Kagome giggled when they were together privately, "first I was nothing but a peasant girl on that damn island when we first met, and thanks to you I became a Higurashi, and then you saved me from Naraku, and now this."

He froze, so this wasn't an illusion the mermaid was creating in his dreams. It was based on reality. He had saved her from being a mermaid and now she had a beautiful set of legs and they were married with children.

"Yes it is strange, so do you love me?"

"Of course I do. Let's go eat now, okay?"

"You seriously love me?"

"What is bringing this about Sesshoumaru? If I didn't would I tell you every time before you go to work, come home, and sleep?"

"I never tell you the same though."

"I love you too much to know that you don't need words Sesshoumaru, oh wait someone else is at the door."

And like an excited four-year-old Kagome ran to the door and answered it to find Inutashio who was just returning from a business deal in China.

Inutashio kissed Kagome on the forehead before going to Sesshoumaru, "I hurried over when I found out this meeting was going on."

"Father have you met Kagome?" Sesshoumaru of course knew that he had and been there when the two married, but he just wanted to see what his father thought of his bride.

"Are you drunk son? I love this girl here. I have only congratulated you a million times for taking such a lovely girl as a bride. If only my grand children were here at the moment. I haven't got a look at the baby yet."

"Yes Kagome, where are our children."

"Your mother is watching them during our party, so your dad will be able to see them when he goes home."

"Izoyai?"

Inutashio blinked, "Who is Izoyai?"

"My mother is dead, and you married Izoyai because she was pregnant with Inuyasha."

"Son I don't see what is going through your head at the moment."

Sesshoumaru woke up in the morning with the headache from hell. This wasn't working in his favor, because now he was already forgetting everything about the dream, but he did remember what he loved about it. He had the perfect wife who made the perfect family and house, and it had happened after he cured Kagome of being a mermaid.

- - -

"Kagome wake up," Naraku tapped on her glass as he entered his basement.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open being surprised that Naraku was actually addressing her instead of just staring at her with the shell bikini, "Huh?"

"So you are just a tricky little fish aren't you?" he smirked at her, "you made friends with Sesshoumaru have you?"

"He isn't a friend. I just sleep when he is around now."

"That's not why you sleep. Kagome you have seen a mermaid before, correct?"

"That's right, but it didn't look anything like I do."

"It still did the same thing and was used for the same things. Their diets and lifestyles are actually quite amazing actually, and that's why another term for them is the word, siren."

"What are you talking about?"

"Have your dreams been strange lately?"

"I have been dreaming about Sesshoumaru actually."

"And Sesshoumaru doesn't need the machine to talk to you, because you chose him."

"What do you mean I chose him?"

Naraku just chuckled, "What you are seeing in your dreams is what Sesshoumaru desires at the moment. They seem innocent enough, but when a man is exposed to there dreams they become an addiction and soon all they can think about is mermaids and the dream. Do you know why mermaids destroy men with such visions?"

"Right now I am still trying to figure out why you destroy teenagers with experiments, but go on."

"The mermaid that you saw that day on Village Island was no friend to you. Mermaids eat humans, despite what you have read about or seen in cartoons."

"You are the one who eats things you aren't suppose to, and I eat seaweed."

"That only keeps you content for a bit, but since you are starving you fall asleep often, so to feed yourself your mind has captured Sesshoumaru's and is trying to trick him into rescuing you. When he does your instinct will take over and you will devour him."

Kagome wanted to puke again, "What? Me eat Sesshoumaru?"

"As we speak he is becoming consumed by your dreams, and he is going to come in contact with you. Normally I wouldn't bother telling you since your instinct will insure your fed, but I have a feeling you are different and might be able to control the urge to feed."

"If I can then I will."

"Kikyo controlled hers and didn't eat Inuyasha, so I took pity on her. Instead of letting her die in her tank of starvation I ate her, and speaking of Inuyasha I might have him removed from the island tonight. I am fed up with mermaids always running to him."

Kagome hid behind her rock to escape Naraku's gaze as she really felt like dying. She just had a semi wonderful dream, semi because she didn't enjoy how she acted like slave to him, and she learned it was all just a way to eat him, and if she didn't eat she would become Naraku's immortality food. To top it all off Naraku was going to kill Inuyasha. What was she suppose to do when she locked up in a tank?

(End of Chapter 8)

AN: Only two more chapters to go and this fic is finished. So questions, comments, concerns? And speaking of mermaids, I just read the original Little Mermaid story on the internet. Nobody told me it was filled with tongues getting chopped off and princes getting stabbed.


	10. A Passion and a Debt

Chapter 9

A Passion and a Debt

"Here is the key," Kagura announced as she unlocked the basement door, "so we had a deal?"

"I have your money," Sesshoumaru opened up his wallet.

"I think I am going to have to double the price we agreed on. I am Naraku's loyal employee and this is a good enough excuse for him to terminate me."

"Fine," he growled as he put the wallet away and signed a check instead, "this is more than enough for you to live off of if that happens."

"Very well Mr. Murashu. Enjoy your time with Miss. Higurashi."

Kagura chuckled as the arrogant ass went through door and back into the basement. She was actually instructed to get Sesshoumaru into that basement anyways since it was close to Kagome's feeding time, but why not get a few dollars out of it before he was devoured?

Sesshoumaru had been thinking about confronting the mermaid for the last few hours now, and his dreams would become a reality. Since she was going to bring such pleasure to his life after this it would be fair to warn her about their escape plan. He would get her out of hee if he had to dive into the tank and grab her himself.

"Kagome," he knew she wasn't asleep this time, because if she was he would be standing in front of the tank wanting to share her dream.

Kagome was acting odd because she had her back turned to him. Her tongue flicked across the top of her mouth feeling that two of her teeth were sharper than before. They were probably her fangs that she was going to use to eat Sesshoumaru with.

"You need to leave," she spoke.

"**My **mermaid will not give me such commands Kagome."

"**This **mermaid doesn't belong to anybody! Not you or Naraku. I am telling you this for your own good Sesshoumaru. Stop visiting me and stop having my dreams, I don't want you to be hurt."

The dreams and obsession had Sesshoumaru not thinking right and he released an animal like growl in a rage, "you were mine ever since that day on Village Island."

"Listen I am not- Village Island? How do you know about that place?"

Along with his checkbook that he had been using to bribe whoever stood in his way of Kagome Sesshoumaru also held a file. He threw it on the ground where the tank's light made an illuminated square for her to see.

"I knew, but I had my workers dig up anything on you to make sure I was correct. You are Kagome Higurashi whose mother died and father abandoned you with your grandparents Hiten and Destiny. After your grandmother died Hiten began abusing you until child services had you placed with the Higurashi family who made a good income and let you live a happy life."

Kagome's mouth remained open before she got control of herself forgetting that she had the urge to eat the man in front of her, "Why would you need to know that?"

"When I was younger I did childish things like build sandcastles with you and your cousin after being injured and taken care of by you."

Kagome tried to remember that, but it wasn't easy since she was so young at the time. It was hard remembering anything before her grandmother's passing and grandfather's abuse since that seemed to be the highlight of her childhood.

"That cousin of yours expanded my mind a bit when she told the story of your relative who met the mermaids. It was all proven correct a few month's later when we met the mermaid."

"So you were-

Sesshoumaru nodded, "that boy was me Kagome."

Kagome had a hard time picturing it all, because she admired the boy from her dream so much she had always imagined him looking like Kouga and actually forgot his real face. Had it actually been Sesshoumaru?

"We both saw the mermaid together then," she said.

"Keep looking Kagome," Hiten growled as his granddaughter followed him on the beach, "we haven't found shit!"

Kagome nodded to her grandfather. Unfortunate events quickly took over after Grandma Destiny's passing. Hiten often drank himself to sleep every day so all the crops and livestock were unmanaged and died. Now there was no money and everyday they were losing things, and by noon tomorrow they had to be out of the house.

_While drinking and beating his grand daughter Hiten didn't return to his religion, so no one would hire him for work. With those limits the only thing he could do to afford his drinks and have some stability in their lives was to be a lurker. Day after day they scanned the beach digging through the dangerous driftwood for valuables that could be pawned off. Kikyo's downing words about lurkers played in Kagome's head every afternoon when she searched through the junk._

"_Kagome there is a pile over there," Hiten pointed at some driftwood._

"_That's the pile I went through earlier," Kagome looked at a scratch on her arm and remember fondly hurting herself on some kind of piece of useless metal._

"_Well look again!" he held almost ready to take the belt from his waist, which was a move that demanded obedience from the girl._

_Kagome nodded before he grabbed on to her shoulder and pulled her back, "Wait a minute. What in the hell is that? Come on!"_

_Maybe her grandfather had started early drinking this day or Hiten might have actually found something that could save them from being evicted. Kagome quickly followed to where the tide pools were. Kagome liked playing in those pools with the crabs, but she never had time anymore._

"_What in the hell," he repeated, "Kagome stay back."_

_Kagome put her hands over her mouth when she saw it. Lying among the puddles was some kind of fish covered in spikes with webbed limps. It had terrifying eyeballs as it it's head was arched up making a horrible sound. It was as though it was calling for help or begging for mercy. The whole sight was rather terrifying._

_Hiten moved forward and tried to grab at the creature, but a spike cut up his hand pretty well. All he could do was take his belt, find a smooth area of scales on the arm to wrap the belt around, and painfully drag it closer away from the water so there would be no escape._

"_This is it," he rubbed his hands together like the greedy old man he was, "when this is seen I will be rich. Get off this sinful island and return to living. You, girl! I have to get some one over here. Watch this thing."_

She was then left alone with the creature, and she felt unnerved every time it cried out. It wanted help. Did it have a family who would help it, or was it an orphan with no chance in the world like Kagome? She couldn't feel sympathetic though, because it was going to save her grandfather meaning perhaps a better life,

"_Please calm down," Kagome kneeled next to the creature but kept a good distance since it was thrashing around, "what are you?"_

_That was when Sesshoumaru came into the picture. He had been running away from home again when he came across the tide pools and the mermaid. With such an issue they never had time to officially state they already knew each other._

"_It's a mermaid," Sesshoumaru stated as he watched the thing fail around, "I have to tell my dad."_

"_No!" Kagome's arm reached out and grabbed on to his, "that will ruin it for my grandpa."_

_Sesshoumaru being the little boy he was wasn't going to stand for that, "I found it also so it is also mine!"_

_He reached down to grab at the belt and drag it away for himself, but Kagome quickly stopped him, "You will get cut just like my grandpa. It has a lot of spikes."_

"_Stop it from failing then woman."_

"_How?"_

"_Can't you sing?" the boy could briefly remember being told about mermaids and a singing woman named Midoriko awhile back before Inuyasha was born._

_Kagome not only had knowledge about her ancestor's encounter with the mermaids, but she also remembered the song her grandmother had taught her, "okay."_

"_Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing. Onward the Sailor's cry."_

"_It's working. It is calming down."_

"_Carrying the lad that's born to be king, onward to sea to sky."_

_The mermaid did indeed calm down, but still seemed worried and in pain. It really was like a fish out of water whose eyes were shock and gasping for air._

"_What's wrong with it?" Kagome was now able to get closer and run her fingers against the smooth scales._

_Sesshoumaru was also touching, "it's too dry. This puddle isn't good enough."_

"_Will it be fine when my grandpa gets here?"_

"_Probably not."_

_Kagome wanted her grandfather to be proud of her for the first time in his life, so she wanted to very much do a good job of watching the creature, but she couldn't stand seeing it in so much pain. Sesshoumaru on the other hand just wanted the credit for finding it, but the fish was just darn right pathetic looking to him. Eventually the two started pushing it out of the puddles and closer to the ocean._

_The mermaid had a wail that forced the two to stop and cover their ears while it's breath smelled like a rotting corpse. It was nothing like the mermaids they had heard tales about, but there was something human about it that begged for help._

"_Just a little more," Sesshoumaru grunted when they almost had it to the water._

_Kagome nodded as she was quietly singing the song so she wouldn't be hurt in the process._

"_Hey!" the little girl quickly tensed up and fell backwards when her grandfather's voice was heard._

_Sesshoumaru wasn't alarmed by the voice. He kept pushing and then resorted to untying the belt so it wouldn't become an issue for the mermaid later when it was swimming home._

"_Dammit boy that's mine," Hiten swatted at Sesshoumaru knocking him down to the ground, "There will be men here in a few seconds and-_

"_Grandpa it's crying and-_

"_I have heard enough from you wench. You ruined my life and your mother's before killing my wife. Ruin this and I will see to it that you are dead."_

_Sesshoumaru recoiled and wasn't going to take commands from some farmer, so he went back to pushing. The tail fin lifted up and gave him a scratch above his nose, but he kept going. Kagome didn't understand why the boy continued to push even though he was threatened by Hiten. He was the bravest boy she had ever met. She wanted to be brave to so she returned to singing. Besides the mermaids had once cared for Midoriko. Kagome's whole family owed the mermaids, and she would be the one to buy the debt._

_Hiten let out a scream when the scaly creature got to the water and the last they saw of it was it's tail fin. In his rage his hand went out, grabbed Kagome by the throat, and threw her to the ground._

"_I will kill you!" he screamed but he then stopped when the mean he spoke about earlier then appeared._

_No one in town believed the tale about the mermaids, but they were all quickly there gossiping about the little girl who was abused. Hiten was quickly taken into custody right after Kagome was examined for bruises. It was then decided that she would be removed from the Yamada family for good._

"_Sesshoumaru," Inutashio placed his hand on his son's shoulder, "what is going on here? I heard a girl was beaten."_

_Sesshoumaru nodded, "Me and her freed a mermaid, and he tried to interfere. She told me she is going to be placed with another family."_

"_Really?" he questioned, "maybe I should talk with the island officals. I know a family that has been looking for a girl her age to adopt- what? Mermaid?"_

"_The girl discovered a mermaid and we tried to save it. It gave me this scratch."_

"_So you were here when this girl was hurt by the man?"_

"_Only a few feet away."_

"_Did the man hurt you? If he did I will put him away for a long time."_

"_No it was the mermaid."_

"_Sesshoumaru there will be no more of this."_

"My father made me see many shrinks after that," Sesshoumaru spoke, "I eventually got my way out of it by telling them it was nothing, but I haven't forgotten. You were that little girl."

"So it was you," Kagome shook her head before she began to rub her eyes, "listen- you need to-

"Quit yawning!" he revealed an angry side of himself Kagome never would have imagined he had as his fist pounded on the glass, "you are going to be mine! With legs you will be my wife, without you will be my mermaid."

Kagome didn't like this side of Sesshoumaru at all. Actually she never liked the cold calm side either, but there was something that attracted her to him. Not only did she not want to eat him, but she also didn't want him to change or have them forget each other. Besides the dolphins Sesshoumaru had been her only company and she liked it when he joined her.

It was then that she came up with a plan that would knock some sense into Sesshoumaru. She swam to the back of the tank before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. Her visitor let it go since he wasn't going to try and capture her until tonight, and this meant he would get another dream. He smirked as things began to turn hazy.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru walked into his bedroom to discover his wife sleeping in his bed where she was retire every night, "are you awake?"

_She showed signs of being only half asleep, so he decided to stimulate her by kicking off his shows to crawl on the bed and kiss her on the forehead. She smiled before opening her eyes to meet his gaze._

"_Did you get what I left for you?"_

_Kagome revealed her wrist that was wrapped with a diamond watch. If she was like most wealthy housewives then she was expected to service him in bed after receiving such an expensive gift._

"_I love it, but not as much as I love you."_

_Sesshoumaru didn't expect Kagome's dreams to have dialogue no better than that of porn, but sex was sex. Things would be a lot better when Sesshoumaru got her out of Naraku's clutches and he could taste her for real._

_Kagome could now see what she was doing. Why did she use such a corny line? And just because she liked Sesshoumaru a bit and thought he was good looking didn't mean he deserved this from her yet, and she didn't have to take it since this was her dream and she had the power to change it anytime she wanted._

"_Wait Sesshoumaru!"_

"_What?" he asked removing his hand from the zipper of his pants._

"_These dreams are consuming you and trying to trap you. This needs to stop."_

_His hand was stroking her hair, "What are you going on about?"_

_There was only one thing she could do to finally knock some sense into him. The boring room that was designed from him echoed after she smacked him across the face. As his hand rested on his cheek his eyes held the shock of being caught of guard._

"_Sesshoumaru you idiot! Can't you see these dreams are a trap? Naraku has turned me into a mermaid that eats humans, and you are my target! I don't want to starve to death and I don't want to kill you. So get back to normal and find a way to help me and Inuyasha."_

_Sesshoumaru stood up as the bed and the room all disappeared. Now that the truth was revealed the reality created by the two shattered leaving them in darkness._

"_You are asking me to free another mermaid?" was his only reply._

"_Sesshoumaru you have to know a scientist or someone who can help me and my friends. I'm begging you."_

_He turned his back on her, "Dr. Tirone is a lot smarter than Naraku when it comes to these things and might be able to help you. She can also dig up the proof that Naraku did this to you and he will be put away."_

_Kagome smiled as she ran forward to hug him feeling grateful for the use of her legs, "You will help!"_

_He put his arms around her and held her close, "You are a Siren trying to lure me in, and the spell hasn't been broken. I still saw what I desired."_

_She sighed not protesting being in his arms. The dream really brought out the best and worst of Sesshoumaru. Even though they were going to stop Naraku's evil plan and get her fixed before she could hurt anybody he would never snap out of the illusion the dream gave him. When someone has been so close to their true desire they will never forget._

"_Tell me," he calmly whispered, "was your desire in that dream?"_

_She nodded, "the Higurashi's are my parents and have been ever since I was adopted, but still I have that orphan fear of eventually being tossed aside just like my dad did to me. With my own happy family like the one in the dream there was enough stability and security and felt that I could finally be loved."_

"_You can with me Kagome."_

_Things remained like that for a while longer before the two used the remainder of the dream and Sesshoumaru's sanity to come up with a plan. Tomorrow Kagome would be free._

(End of Chapter 9)

AN: Is this rated M? If it is I will quickly change it because I have decided no sex scenes. There was going to be a bit more of an exchange between Kagome and Sesshoumaru before she smacked him, but after writing an all sex chapter of Marriage of Convenience I wasn't in the mood. Anyways I promise to the almighty stars above that there will be no more dream or flash back sequences. Next chapter is the very last, and then this will be the very first fanfic I have ever completed without promises of a sequel, what? Psh, I don't know what this Teen Blues you speak of is nor do I know if it will ever be updated.

Cookie Tirone: Notice your spot in the fic? That is your gift for all your great reviews. That's what Tamasha has done to give back to her hyperactive reviewers community.

Miyavi Fangirl: Thank you very much for your review. Nothing really bad happened in this chapter, but everything will be recapped and taken care of in the next chapter.

Thanks to all of the other reviewers as well for reviewing, because if you didn't this would be in the trashcan with Shadow Filled Hearts at the moment.


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